by Rockfish » Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:41 pm
Hi,
If your bristlenose plec can get 'easier' food then it will be less inclined to eat algae, so if there is plenty of algae in the tank it might be worth reducing the food targeted to the bristlenose such as the algae wafers to see if it consumes more algae instead.
Sometimes a combination of algae eaters can work well. If your assassin snails are being removed, then you could try zebra nerite snails as they will help with algae on hard surfaces such as glass, rocks, etc. Otocinclus catfish or Siamese Algae Eaters are good for removing algae from plant leaves. Algae-eating shrimp are great at this too, but small ones would be at risk from some of your fish, but adult Amano/Japonica shrimp should be ok.
Of course, it's important to consider eliminating the potential cause of the algae. If it's not excessive light, then it could be nutrient levels. If the tank is planted, boosting plant growth should help. If there are no live plants, removing excess nutrients with more water changes might help.