No common plecos. Maybe you could do Flying Foxes? They were workaholics in my tank though a tad bit messy.
Bichir tank mates and plants
- Thread starter graylizard
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No common plecos. Maybe you could do Flying Foxes? They were workaholics in my tank though a tad bit messy.
I had two EBAs with some Buenos Aires tetras and they didn't bother them at all. As a matter of fact, the smaller one (it was slightly larger than the tetras) swam with them like it was part of the group.
What is an EBA? For the flying foxes I have an acara in the tank as well will they bother each other? How many do you have in your tank? Do you feed them anything else? What do you mean by they are a tad bit messy? Will they eat the plants?
I have an algae problem in my tank as of right now and I am wondering which one would be better Siamese algae eater or a common pleco. I’ve heard good things and bad things about both. I’ve heard that the common pleco also will attack the slime coating of the bichirs. I’m also worried that it will attack the other small fish in the tank like the Congo tetras. I also have the electric blue acara, but the Siamese algae eater I’ve heard it’s basically the same thing and also will attack the slime coating of the bichirs. However, I’ve heard that the Siamese algae eaters are better. Any recommendations?
EBA = Electric Blue Acara (the common abbreviation here for this fish
). Flying foxes will completely mind their own business. They will most likely ignore other fish completely. I used to have two (I don't anymore), but they can school as juveniles (old fish tend to be loners). Mine didn't squabble much, though (occasionally, there was a scuffle, but it was minor and usually nitpicky, lol). If you get young busy bees, they may be a nuisance to your much slower and sedentary bichirs, kind of like Pictus catfish with Discus. However, older flying foxes shouldn't be a problem.If the algae was low, I fed them Algae wafers. Sometimes, they would eat the flakes, among other food I dropped in the tank for the other fish. They are a bit messy, meaning they eat a lot of green stuff, and you know it through their stools. Their stools are quite obvious in color, sand or gravel. But it may not be as much of a problem on dark-colored sand or gravel.
They won't eat your plants. Also, Siamese Algae Eaters and Siamese Flying Foxes are two different species of fish. They are nearly indistinguishable, but they are different. If I remember correctly, SAEs are larger, while flying foxes are smaller, and their band/bands are in slightly different places.
I cast a vote for flying foxes or Siamese Algae Eaters. Common plecos are not a good idea, especially considering you don't have nearly enough space for one. Common plecos get huge...like two feet long; you only have a 75-gallon tank. They also don't eat algae; they tend to eat leftover food unless they are starving.
If you want a pleco that actually eats algae, do Bristlenose plecos. They are much smaller and much more manageable (and they come with different personalization features, lol). They stay around the 5-6 inch mark, and you can have multiple, although it will be a poop fest (as with any pleco) that you will have to clean up constantly. Now that I think about it, that might be good for your plants since they need fertilizer, so the poop fest might not be that bad.
Is there different species of Siamese algae eaters?
Siamese Algae Eater or Flying Fox. Either one should do the job. I wouldn't reccomend a pleco.
Ok thanks
You don’t have to get fishes to settle an Algae problem. It could probably mean —> high nitrates in your tank, or your light is too bright.
1) Easy solve, Siamese algae eater may get eaten by ur bichirs in future, pleco is a hit or miss on sucking your bichirs slime coat. Adding snails would be your best option, can be a snack for your bichirs as well as they multiply fast.
2) dim your lights
3) check nitrate level. If too high waterchange.