goldfish tank algae

Question
Hi.I need to know what type of fish to get to clean algae off the rocks/ornaments/plants in my 29 gallon tank that I have two small ryukin goldfish in. I do a 10% and a 25% water change with vacuuming weekly. I clean the algae off the glass myself. Wondering about a butterfly loach or a snail. Sincerely, Debbie

Answer
Hello Debbie-

Two snails might be your best choice here - Some plecos and algae eaters produce a lot of waste, and goldfish aren't the cleanest fish either, so your tank may get really dirty really fast if you opt to add a pleco.

However, if you have a lot of algae, it may be best to "rent" a pleco from a petstore, if possible. You can purchase the fish and return it once the tank is clean, or you can keep it if it doesn't produce too much waste.

Snails do a great job, though, and are an interesting addition to any tank. As for the butterfly loach, it's a small enough fish that you should be safe adding one if you decide to do so. They do a great job as well with not as much waste as a "regular" pleco.

Hope this helps, and good luck!
-Amber Worman