Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm noticing some algae growth in my 75-gallon Mbuna setup, and I'm wondering if I should bring in some extra help or let the Demasoni handle it. I've got 12 White Labs and 20 Demasoni, and in the wild, Demasoni do pick at algae, but in my tank, they don't seem too interested. I'm leaning towards adding an algae clean-up crew since the Demasoni aren't doing the job. If I do decide to add something, I might go with ottos - I know it sounds weird, but I've had good luck with them in my African cichlid tanks before.

Some folks might not agree with adding fish to tackle algae issues, but I've found that with ottos or a small pleco, you'll rarely need to scrub the glass, they take care of it for you.

Nerite snails are top-notch for cleaning algae, plus they won't overpopulate your tank since they don't breed in freshwater.

Honestly, I'd advise against ottos in a Mbuna setup - an Ancistrus would be a better fit. They grow larger and generally get left alone by the cichlids. As for snails, I wouldn't recommend them either; the Labs will likely harass and eat them if they get the chance.