Otocinclus

Arguably one of the most -if not the most- efficient algae eaters that you could have in a tropical Aquarium. These little guys are quite often underappreciated but stick them in a planted aquarium and watch them go.

Experience level: Moderate

Max size: 1-2 Inch

Minimum Tank Size: 12 gallons (57L)

Temperament: Peaceful

PH Range: 6-8

Hardiness: Moderate

Sex Differences: Females slightly bigger than males. (Difficult to tell when fish have full belly).

Temperature: 21.1-26.1°C (70 -79 °F)

Average Lifespan: 3-10+ years

Diet: Primarily Algae (Mainly algae on plants)

Feeding Instruction: Supplement their natural algae diet with a sinking algae pellet containing Spirulina every 3 days. They will also take live and frozen Daphnia, Brine Shrimp, Bloodworm and Mosquito Larvae.

Aquarium Care: Appreciate regular water changes. Require a heavily planted aquarium and ideally more than one at a time (in the wild they shoal in thousands, not that I’m saying that’s the minimum!).

Origin: South America. Small to medium sized streams with moderate flow. Present mostly in grasses and aquatic plants with small leaves.

Featured Image by Macro Fish (Youtube)