Algae Eating Crew

[nigel bentley]

I currently have 1 SAE, 3 Nerite snails acting as a clean up crew in 450 litre planted tank.
Although the SAE is busy I don't consider these to be a sufficient amount.
I've never seen any calculator to work the optimum quantity, just interested in people's thoughts?

 

[noobscaper]

AFAIK SAEs are supposed to be schooling fish, so I'd say 6 of them. I have a single one in my community right now and it's quite an annoying not-so-little bugger, chasing the mollies all the time.

 

[Zeus.]

SAE also can get a taste for RCS, had to relocate my SAE as they was mopping up the RCS and leaving the algae

 

[jameson_uk]

AFAIK SAEs are supposed to be schooling fish, so I'd say 6 of them. I have a single one in my community right now and it's quite an annoying not-so-little bugger, chasing the mollies all the time.

That was my experience too. When I got him and he was small he used to school with the black neon tetras and Otos but as he got bigger he turned into a right bully. He would go for the food and chase of Corys and others to get his pick. He ate a bit of algae but not a huge amount and from a very early age we not for fish food first and algae second.

That said I think they are lovely fish and if I had a bigger tank with more robust fish I might get a school.