besides for plecos what other community fish can i get to remove algae in a 55 gallon...

TopPotts

New member
A Siamese algae-eater would do a good job, and will eat most other kinds of food as well.
As mentioned, the Florida flagfish (a killifish species) is also a great algae eater. Mollies readily eat algae, and it's a magor component of their diet.
If you're thinking your tank is too small for plecos, and it is for the common pleco seen so often in pet stores, you can consider some of the smaller species, like the pitbull (2.5"), which is a great algae eater. The clown pleco (3") is another excellent choice, and is beautifully patterned. The bristle-nose The bristlenose (4-8", depending on species) is yet another wonderful algae eater, and some say among the best.
Hillstream loaches are another great species, and omnivorous. Some species are very beautifully colored and patterned but have pretty specific requirements for water parameters and such. One is very clean water with a good flow.
Of course the best will depend on whether your fish are cold water or tropical, as well as other conditions of your tank.
Some like the SAE are active, fast moving fish; others like the Chinese hillstream loach are shy and will stay still for long periods.
Otos (another small, excellent choice) need to be kept in schools to be at their best.
Whatever you get, know it's specific needs and it may live a long life, with some of the plecos listed above up to 20 years.

Enjoy, and have a merry Christmas and happy new year.
 
plecos will actually make more mess than they will clean up. i would suggest some shrimp or 5 or 6 corydoras (cory) catfish. there are a few more that will do it, you should visit the local pet store and see what they have and ask them. they probably have at least 10 or so fish species that will work. the best thing to remove algae though is a good brush. it is very easy to remove, and for that size tank it would take a lot of fish to keep it under control. just scrub the inside once a week and it should be fine.
 
also, Siamese algae eaters are amazing at cleaning a tank , i have 2 little ones in a 65 tank and they are always working on keeping the tank clean.
 
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