[Kntry]

For a newly set up 75 gallon, lo tech tank?

I know I need Otto's and Amano shrimp, but how many? I think I need Nerite snails, or is it Assassin, and how many?

Is there anything else that I need to keep the tank running smoothly other than the fish I want to keep?

Would it be wise to wait a while to get these since there is no algae in the tank yet?

 

[jrill]

I think its too early to say you need any of those things. If things go well you will not have algae problems and can always add them later.

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[Kntry]

Good. Thank you!

 

[talontsiawd]

Some people consider Otto's/Amano's a necessity. I personally don't but they do the job. The problem is that they only eat the algae that is usually easy to get rid of and algae that happens on a new tank. You often will see people with many tanks add an excessive amount of either on start up, only to pull them out later. I don't want to sway you away from them, but in my case, I have smaller tanks so a reasonable amount can easily be 10-20% of my life stock. The bigger the tank, the less this matters. The bigger the tank, the more time it takes to clean. I would do at least 6 Ottos. Some people may suggest more but I would likely do about 5-10 Amano's. I don't really like either, the Otto's hang on the glass and the Amano's get really big over time but it would bug me a whole lot less in a 75 than my sub 18 gallon.

Nerites are really cool, IMO. They get all over and are not something that moves around so whatever else is going on, they don't really disturb the look. Need to take a picture or company is coming over, just lightly tap and the are off. They get the back glass which is nice, not that Otto's don't, but they seem to be more thorough/less picky.

 

[Kntry]

So the snails will do the same job as the Otto's and Amana's? I don't like either of them so I'd rather not have them if they aren't necessary.

 

[jrill]

None of them are necessary but all have their place to address areas you might have a specific problem with. I keep Otto's because I like them but I need to feed the algae wafers. I also keep MTSnails because I like the idea of them digging through the substrate.

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[talontsiawd]

So the snails will do the same job as the Otto's and Amana's? I don't like either of them so I'd rather not have them if they aren't necessary.

I find Amano's are good for getting the algae on the substrate. Otto's get the plants and the glass. Nerites do a better job than Otto's on the glass but worse on the plants, get the substrate as well. So they all basically do the same thing, just in different places. I am unsure if any eat algae that another one won't.