"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
The only question now is: do we really need Otto's? Is there something they
do
SAE's cannot do?

IME, they eat different kinds of algae. SAEs eat mostly filamentous algae.
(They don't have sucker mouths, so can't suck algae off the glass like otos,
pl*cos, etc., can.) Otos like "flat" algae: the kind that grows on the glass,
or flat on the leaves of plants.

The otos' small size allows them to perch on delicate leaves and clean them of
algae, when larger fish like pl*cos cannot.
A good replacement for otos are snails. They eat the same type of algae, and,
like otos, can clean the most delicate leaves of algae without harming them.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



....in that case I'd better keep some otto's. I do have the green on side walls.
It doesn't bother me much though at this point. All other algae is under
control, knock on the wood. (now watch for my algae question tomorrow ;-)

Marvin