Am I all out of options for an algae crew?

2713 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Amandas tank, Nov 22, 2012

Amandas tank

Discussion Starter · Nov 21, 2012

I would like to add an algae crew to my planted tank in a few months. I know of a few we can choose from, but I am not sure what would work best for my tank. I thought for sure I wanted Nerite snails because they look awesome, but my pH is too low for good shell health. I thought about amano shrimp or ghost shrimp, but my Angels will most likely eat them. I decided against Plecos of any kind because I don't want the extra bio-load or bulldozing through the plants. I don't care for Ottos much because you have to have so many to keep them comfortable. Siamese Algae Eaters are only good when juvenile, then quit eating algae as adults, so their a no. Whiptail catfish are killer! I think they are amazing, but don't have a river set up with the desired current for them. Flag fish are not good for the Angels fins. I definetely don't want livebearers in the tank so no Mollies or Platys.

Is there anything left? I don't mind cleaning algae out of the tank, but thought it would be beneficial to have a crew that would keep the leaves and stems in those hard to reach places clean of algae. Supplementing thier diet with Algae wafers, veggies, ect is just fine.

Let me know if there are any other options you can recommend! Thank you

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Sethjohnson30

· #2 · Nov 21, 2012

I think a Bn Pleco would be fine for your tank. I've always kept them in planted tanks with no problem. They don't eat the plants. Just wait till your done moving stuff around before you get one. I have found they do not like rescapes much at all. Too much fussing with your scape will kill them.

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Tetranerd

· #3 · Nov 21, 2012

Algae crew

I second that on the BN pleco. I just got three small ones for my 90 gal tank and they had it cleaned up and sparkly within a couple days! Mine are albino, so they're cute to watch, too!

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killswitch

· #4 · Nov 21, 2012

BN plecos is a nice adidition but they can be messy. I find mine just rasp on driftwood most of the time and make a mountain of crapped out driftwood. Ive only ever seen them clean up diatoms.

My single SAE is 11cm~ long now and it still spends most of its time going through the surface of leaves, and if it finds anything that sticks out like algae, it'll get chomped off. (make sure you get a real SAE)

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bradlgt21

· #5 · Nov 21, 2012

BN pleco would work, they do there best work when young. As they get older they just wait for the algae waffer to sink to the bottom of the tank. I think oto's would work too, they are cheap and there bioload is super low so you could get away with getting a group of them and letting them go to town they are awesome little fish. You could always try nerite snails and just be sure to feed them food high in calcium, hopefully that can keep there shell strong but yes low ph acidic water tends to erode their shells.

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OVT

· #6 · Nov 21, 2012

If you do not like algae, don't let it in.
No algae crew can solve the root problem.

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blink

· #7 · Nov 21, 2012

I've got panda garras and they seem to do a good job but they're small, may need a bunch.

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Kathyy

· #8 · Nov 21, 2012

Rosy barbs will eat filament green algae then move on to fine leaved plants. Cichlids do the same thing. My angelfish loved water changes when I took the hornwort out so they could get to the spot on the wood where there was some of that kind of algae.

There are other small plecos that eat algae like rubbernose.

For the snails it is the calcium and other minerals in the water that count, not the pH. My pH is the same as it was when the ramshorn snails were doing poorly but now I add some GH booster each water change and the shells are in good shape now. It was pretty interesting to see the healthy new shell forming about a week after the booster was added. The actual shell is covered by a tough protein membrane and isn't exposed to the water, acidic or not. Maybe don't actually buy snails but keep the volunteer ones around?

Agree, don't count on the grazing critters but I seriously doubt my tank is as clean as it is because of any skills I have. My platies, otos, ramshorn snails and bristlenose plecos do a lot to keep the tank cleaned up and they are all very interesting inhabitants.

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Amandas tank

Discussion Starter · #9 · Nov 22, 2012

Thanks everyone.

Kathyy what GH booster do you use? The Nerite snails are so cool looking I know my family would love to see them in the tank.

I had almost gone for some BN, as you know Seth, but after reading often that they too are poop machine like all other plecos, I decided against them or any other pleco. I just don't want the long strings of poop stuck to the plant stems and waving in the current. I've been there before with my Spotted Sailfin (much bigger I know...but still a full-bodied fish).

Panda Garas are ineteresting. Bet the kids would like those too. I'll have to read up on them. What I know is they are best kept in groups of minimum of 3 and they are compatible with the current species.

OVT, I love your firmness HaHa! I have to be completely honest though. I am not sure I will be able to keep algae out of my tank. :redface: I have some rearing it's head on the glass that I scrub off every couple days so if that's there, I am sure there's more that I don't see, yet.

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