Can oto help algae in a planted tank?

**chaosdiablo** · 26th Apr 2009, 12:38

Will they eat the baby shrimps?

**Crazy4Shrimps** · 26th Apr 2009, 14:49

No they won't eat baby shrimps. Don't think I ever lost any to them.

However, I feel that they do not do a good job in removing algae. I had algae problem even though I have Otto till I bought some Nerite Snails recently which helps me remove the algae problem.

There are some algae which the nerite snails will leave alone though.

**fighting fish** · 26th Apr 2009, 18:52

otos arent really helping out with my algae issue. think i'm gonna "hire" 50 malayan shrimps to do the job hopefully they work well

**Ingwe** · 26th Apr 2009, 23:00

otos helped me with the algae on the glass and stones..

**terence** · 1st May 2009, 06:42

my ottos also do not seemed like doing the job well...

**BettaLoves.** · 1st May 2009, 17:22

can try getting Borneo Sucker or RAMHORN snails. they are almost 100% algae eater otto feed on brown algae most.

**beetroot** · 2nd May 2009, 22:27

depends on which kind of algae you have.
otto, nerite, shrimps or borneo sucker will not eat all kinds of algae.

**Scape** · 12th May 2009, 18:53

my otos help out in clearing brown algae on my tank surface. =D

**madscientist** · 12th May 2009, 23:34

must try cocktail? haha

**|squee|** · 12th May 2009, 23:48

Ultimately you need to solve the root of the problem, which is getting good plant growth to combat the growth of algae.

**madscientist** · 13th May 2009, 21:49

All I have are fake plants, :P

**rav** · 14th May 2009, 22:37

Otos are gentle gentle little fishes. No they live happily with my shrimps never harming them.

**xiandan** · 15th May 2009, 00:38

They do snatch food and disturb the shrimps during feeding time though

**Midori** · 15th May 2009, 07:04

Hi,

No single species of algae eater can help you clean up an aquarium completely as most have different preferrence, diet, habits and eating pattern.

Apart from ensuring that water quality do not promote algae growth, it is best to use different species of algae eater to remove different kinds of algae, such as Otocinclus, SAE, Pleco (some spp), different types of algae eating shrimps, Garra spp, etc.