Algae eaters for aquarium with rainbows

[plesner]

We’ve decided to keep a few species of rainbows from Madagascar, Australia and Papua New Guinea in a 920 liter tank in our aquarium club. We know which rainbows we want and we have even found a number of plants which come from those same places. What about algae eaters? I can’t think of any species of fish, shrimps or snails from either of those places which will also get along with fish ranging from 10 to 15 cm total length – at least none which are available in Europe.

Any suggestions?

[Des]

If you are going to restrict your choices to species from those three locations then you will certainly have trouble finding them. However, if you broaden the geographical range to include Indonesia then you have Sulawesi Snails and Shrimps. I think that some of the freshwater Nerite snails are from Indonesia as well.If you go as far as the Asian mainland then you have various  Crossocheilus species.

[mikev]

The moment you put Australian/NG rainbows with Madagascar ones you have no biotope anymore, so why even worry?

And btw if you put two species of Sahul rainbows you probably have no biotope either, they come from different environments, Sahul is a large place….

[plesner]

We aren’t going for a biotope aquarium as such. We’re just trying to use fish, plants and so on which are different from the ones we always tend to see and thus try to restrict ourselves geographically just for the fun of it. I know full well that rainbows are found in countless different biotopes.

[mikev]

Then some Garra species from Indonesia perhaps?

(Garras and Rainbows btw mix nicely).

[Matt]

Stiphodon or Sicyopterus gobies?

[Plaamoo]

@Matt said:
Stiphodon or Sicyopterus gobies?

Would be my choices. Maybe even some gastromyzon.

[Author]

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