Algae eater oralgivore is acommon name for anybottom-dwelling orfilter-feedingaquatic animal species that specialize in feeding onalgae andphytoplanktons. Algae eaters are important for thefishkeeping hobby and many are commonly kept byaquarium hobbyists to improvewater quality.[1] They are also importantprimary consumers that relay thebiomass andenergy fromphotosyntheticautotrophes up into thefood web, as well as protecting theaquatic ecosystem againstalgae blooms.
Some of the common and most popularfreshwater aquarium algae eaters include:
Common freshwater algivorous fish:
Some freshwatershrimp are also excellent algae eaters:
Most species offreshwater snails, discounting most adult specimens of species belonging to the familyAmpullariidae, which primarily subsist on aquatic plants as adults.
Some of the known types of fish to eat algae are blennies and tangs, but along with fish there are snails, crabs, and sea urchins who also eat algae. These species are known to eatred slime algae, green film algae,hair algae,diatoms,cyanobacteria,brown film algae,detritus, andmicroalgae.[4]
There are several saltwater fish species that eat algae. Two of the major algae eaters are blennies and tangs. These fish eat red slime algae, green film algae, and hair algae. Some of the known species are as follows:
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Tangs:[6]
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Hermit crabs and other species of crabs eat algae. Crabs eat green algae, film algae, red slime algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, and microalgae. Some of the known species are:
Hermit Crabs:
Other Species:[8]
All species of sea urchin eat algae. They eat all sizes of algae, from something as small asmacroalgae to something as large as kelp, and have been known to eatCoralline algae.[9] In cooler waters, sea urchins have even been known to eat enough to control the size and compositions of kelp forests. Sea urchins act as scavengers and will also eat dead algae that they find. Some sea urchins, such as thevariegated sea urchin or thered sea urchin, have become popular as pets for home aquariums because of their ability to proficiently eat algae.[10]
Snails are known for eating hair algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms, green film algae, brown film algae, and detritus.[11]