# Platties for algae



## jas1w124 (Dec 18, 2009)

I have done a lot of reading and I have never heard anyone suggest platties for algae before. Long story short the first fish I got when I got into the hobby was a sickly looking platty from walmart since that was the only place to buy fish for 3 hours in all directions. We got him a friend and kept them in a 5 gallon tank for the last couple years. I never had algae trouble in that tank but never thought about it. We recently added them into our newly set up 29 gallon aquascape since they had about 8 babies. There was quit the problem with hair algae, diatoms, and other things at the time since I don't have it balanced yet or set up like I want and I have noticed that they have nearly eliminated all the algae in about one week. I watch them go around the tank eating everything from off the glass, off the smallest of plants, off the substrate and even eating rotting leaves stuck to the filter intake. I just thought I would see if anyone else uses them for that. I know they are not the nicest fish to have in your nice aquascape but I am impressed.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Many livebearers are omnivores, and are more interested in plant-like material than most Tetras for example. 
I know that Mollies have eaten diatoms for me, but had not thought of Platies as algae eaters. Come to think about it, though, the one tank I have with a few Platies in it seems not to have much in the way of hairy sorts of algae.


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## jas1w124 (Dec 18, 2009)

Hair algae is the first thing they went for when introduced into the 29 gallon, there is no sign of it anywhere. They are my least favorite fish that I own as far as looks but they are such busy bodies in the aquarium I just can't trade them in.


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