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Definition of algae eater

algae eater

Plural:algae eaters
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• noun

1

Any of various bottom-dwelling freshwater fishes, such as the Chinese algae eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri), Siamese algae eater (Crossocheilus oblongus), or suckermouth catfish (family Loricariidae), commonly kept in home aquariums to graze on and control algal growth.

Example

"The aquarist added a Siamese algae eater to the tank to help keep the glass and decorations clean."

2

Any aquatic organism, such as certain freshwater shrimp or aquatic snails, that feeds primarily on algae.

Example

"Amano shrimp and nerite snails are popular algae eaters in planted freshwater aquariums."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for algae eater

• Nearby Words

alfresco
alga
algae
algae eater
algal
algebra
algebraic

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Algae eater. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/algae-eater
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