My swordtails are the greatest algae eaters out there....

**hedge_fund** · 02-09-2013, 12:17 PM

Hello, just wanted to share my story on the greatest algae eaters out there which are also very hardy.

About two months ago I turned my ADA tank into high tech where I am dumping a ton of light, ferts and co2. There is so much co2 here that amano shrimp die within a few hours so I would say that my tank is uninhabitable (I keep tons of rare shrimp in another tank so keeping inverts is my forte). From past experiences I have always dealt with some type of algae when setting up a new tank but this one has nothing and it's only been going for two months. I would say that 90% of that is attributed to the high co2 being put in this tank and the other 10% to my swordtails. They are constantly picking at leaves even though I do not see any algae...there has to be something there since their poop is green. None of the leaves are damaged so they are definitely not eating the plants. I have sensitive plants such as HC, DOWNOI and TONINA.

These aren't the regular pet store swords...they are a bit pricer and purchased on aqua bid. It's amazing what fish will do if you only feed them once a week.

Since it's against the rules to link aquabid links, here are the pics from the seller's random auction. I've had these swordtails for about 6 months (red tuxedo, albino gold tuxedo and albino tuxedo).

**mitchfish9** · 02-09-2013, 05:24 PM

That's very interesting! Those are some nice looking swordtails

alipper · 02-09-2013, 05:42 PM

Very pretty fish, but aren't they platys or just not mature?

**msawdey** · 02-09-2013, 06:24 PM

looks like platys to me

**hedge_fund** · 02-09-2013, 06:27 PM

Platies do not grow swords. My birthday present for my first birthday was a fish tank so I've kept aquariums 31 years now, I'm positive these are not platies.

Those are stock pics I used from the guy's auction which were young juvenile swordtails.

tiggity · 02-09-2013, 07:58 PM

Plates are shorter and rounded vs swordtails longer and slimmer.

Knotyoureality · 02-10-2013, 01:15 AM

Mollies do a pretty good job on algae as well. Quite a few live bearing species will so long as they're kept hungry.

Last re-scape I did I pulled out some driftwood mounted anubia--the newer growth was cut off and mounted on a new piece and I tossed the remainder into my endler cull tank for safe-keeping until I had time to deal with it. The old leaves had quite a bit of algae on 'em and the endlers swarmed it as soon as it hit the tank and got the leaves surprisingly clean.

**hedge_fund** · 02-10-2013, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotyoureality

Mollies do a pretty good job on algae as well. Quite a few live bearing species will so long as they're kept hungry.

Last re-scape I did I pulled out some driftwood mounted anubia--the newer growth was cut off and mounted on a new piece and I tossed the remainder into my endler cull tank for safe-keeping until I had time to deal with it. The old leaves had quite a bit of algae on 'em and the endlers swarmed it as soon as it hit the tank and got the leaves surprisingly clean.

Nice, glad livebearers are keeping your tanks clean as well. As you said above, the trick is to keep them very hungry. My fish do nothing but constnatly pick at the glass, gravel and plant leaves.

I'm too lazy to get up off the couch but here they are right this minute. You can see that the one in the far right is picking at a leaf.

**hedge_fund** · 02-10-2013, 01:27 AM

Actually, I got some decent action shots and one of the swords with neon green poop hah.

I have been letting them eat their offspring but next time I'll try catching some....hopefully I can share with the forum.

stevenjohn21 · 02-10-2013, 01:29 AM

Nice looking Platys, almost Koi !

**hedge_fund** · 02-10-2013, 01:40 AM

On a side note, if anybody wants some males then let me know. They are literally going to kill each other soon. My main planted tank has one male with 4 young females but my other tank houses mostly males. You would swear that world war 3 was going on. The other day they were going so hardcore that one of the males jumped out through a heater vent (tank has a cover on it).

Pretty fish too.

02-09-2013, 12:17 PM	#1
hedge_fund Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenwich, CT Posts: 2,582	My swordtails are the greatest algae eaters out there.... Hello, just wanted to share my story on the greatest algae eaters out there which are also very hardy. About two months ago I turned my ADA tank into high tech where I am dumping a ton of light, ferts and co2. There is so much co2 here that amano shrimp die within a few hours so I would say that my tank is uninhabitable (I keep tons of rare shrimp in another tank so keeping inverts is my forte). From past experiences I have always dealt with some type of algae when setting up a new tank but this one has nothing and it's only been going for two months. I would say that 90% of that is attributed to the high co2 being put in this tank and the other 10% to my swordtails. They are constantly picking at leaves even though I do not see any algae...there has to be something there since their poop is green. None of the leaves are damaged so they are definitely not eating the plants. I have sensitive plants such as HC, DOWNOI and TONINA. These aren't the regular pet store swords...they are a bit pricer and purchased on aqua bid. It's amazing what fish will do if you only feed them once a week. Since it's against the rules to link aquabid links, here are the pics from the seller's random auction. I've had these swordtails for about 6 months (red tuxedo, albino gold tuxedo and albino tuxedo). Last edited by hedge_fund; 02-10-2013 at 01:43 AM.. Reason: kjkn

02-09-2013, 05:42 PM	#3
alipper Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: CT Posts: 209	Very pretty fish, but aren't they platys or just not mature? __________________ 75 low tech planted.....20 rummynose, 4 lemons, 1 GBR, 1 angelfish, 8 peppered cories, 2 BN 20H high tech planted....8 white clouds, 1 guppy, 2 cories, 4 ottos, ? amano, ? PFR, ? CRS, ? assassin snails

02-09-2013, 06:24 PM	#4
msawdey Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 972	looks like platys to me __________________ msawdey -Just another day in paradise-

02-09-2013, 07:58 PM	#6
tiggity Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 407	Plates are shorter and rounded vs swordtails longer and slimmer. __________________ 40B Dirt \| Aqueon Evolve 8 Dirt \| Fraternity of Dirt #120

02-10-2013, 01:29 AM	#10
stevenjohn21 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,017	Nice looking Platys, almost Koi ! __________________ “We didn’t underestimate them. They were just a lot better than we thought.” -Bobby Robson “Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.” -Gary Linekar "Some people are on the pitch! They think it's all over! It is now, it's four!" -Kenneth Wolstenholme

02-09-2013, 05:24 PM	#2
mitchfish9 Planted Tank Nation (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Oak Park, IL Posts: 873	That's very interesting! Those are some nice looking swordtails

02-09-2013, 06:27 PM	#5
hedge_fund Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenwich, CT Posts: 2,582	Platies do not grow swords. My birthday present for my first birthday was a fish tank so I've kept aquariums 31 years now, I'm positive these are not platies. Those are stock pics I used from the guy's auction which were young juvenile swordtails.

02-10-2013, 01:15 AM	#7
Knotyoureality Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 739	Mollies do a pretty good job on algae as well. Quite a few live bearing species will so long as they're kept hungry. Last re-scape I did I pulled out some driftwood mounted anubia--the newer growth was cut off and mounted on a new piece and I tossed the remainder into my endler cull tank for safe-keeping until I had time to deal with it. The old leaves had quite a bit of algae on 'em and the endlers swarmed it as soon as it hit the tank and got the leaves surprisingly clean.

02-10-2013, 01:27 AM	#9
hedge_fund Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenwich, CT Posts: 2,582	Actually, I got some decent action shots and one of the swords with neon green poop hah. I have been letting them eat their offspring but next time I'll try catching some....hopefully I can share with the forum.

02-10-2013, 01:40 AM	#11
hedge_fund Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenwich, CT Posts: 2,582	On a side note, if anybody wants some males then let me know. They are literally going to kill each other soon. My main planted tank has one male with 4 young females but my other tank houses mostly males. You would swear that world war 3 was going on. The other day they were going so hardcore that one of the males jumped out through a heater vent (tank has a cover on it). Pretty fish too.

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