Otto + chinese Algae eater?

[OCD]

Currently have one Golden Algae Eater and one very small BN,in a planted community Aqua One 980, getting a little green spots forming on the glass,Would 5-7 Otto's to clean up the growth get on with the Golden or would I be better off with a couple  more and no Otto's. ? 

The one I have likes to chase his(?) tank mates around ( espc when the algae wafer or courgette goes in!!) 

[camrhodes]

Hi This is the best site i have ever used for figuring out what goes with what

www.aqadvisor.com/

Chinese algae eaters are from my experience quite aggressive especially as they get older, i started to find holes in the side of my other fish where it had latched on and eaten a chunk of them as for more than one, they get around a foot in length so not sure if you really want two in your tank.

Good luck!

Edited February 17, 2016 by camrhodes

[gligor]

Best way to get rid of green spots forming on your glass is to wipe it down with a sponge when you do your water changes. This will ensure that it's cleaned every once in a while when you do your regular maintenance and it only takes 1-2mins. I've got the same tank as you and I have two Chinese algae eaters but can't expect them to keep on top of algae forming on the front, side and back of the glass, so I keep this clean myself :-)

The best recommendation I can give you is to only get the fish you like in your tank and not get fish just because you think they might help you get rid of a problem you might be able to fix in another way. Except of course if you like ottos then definitely get some! 

[camrhodes]

Not sure what it is like with a curved front like on your tank however I use an aa smart fuel card (any credit card / eftpos card would work as long as it is plastic) to clean the glass on mine at every water change, have not bothered with an aquarium scraper or sponge since, however it does involve getting your arm wet.:)

 

[Caryl]

Not sure any fish are keen on eating those hard green spots of algae.

[alexyay]

My BNs seem to easily control the Green Spot Algae (but people get mixed results with them) but in all honesty it's so easy to remove from the glass that I wouldn't buy a fish for it. Getting new lights (Fluorescent bulbs have to be replaced yearly if you have them), better quality lights and raising the lights can all help to reduce GSA, along with getting fast-growing plants that out-compete it.

 

Unfortunately a Chinese Algae Eater would be my last recommendation for any kind of algae problem. They are known for preferring a meatier diet as they get older, and become large and brutish. Ours would readily beat up any fish near its territory (in a 450L tank), suck the sides of Angels (and they're known for having a taste for Discus slime coat, too), and isn't nearly as cute as it was at 2" big. 

 

Otocinclus are gorgeous fish, but they'll end up 1/10th the size of the CAE, and personally I wouldn't mix the two. Otos are also all wild-caught and require good water quality, so they can be a bit tricky to keep.