Algae eaters

[Trainer_Ruby_]

What are some good algae eaters for a 10g and a 20g. Right now there's a lot of brown algae and black hair algae in my 20 and brown in my 10. Anything that can help is wonderful


Keep calm and drum on

 

[Rianyu]

The only algae eaters I've had any luck with against black hair algae are Siamese Algae Eaters, but they grow quite big - mine is 4"! I think that he'd be okay in the 20g at least. some otocinclus catfish might be good for the 10gallon for the brown algae, but they tend to like a small group and enjoy a decent water current. Otherwise, you could try snails - I settled for a snail for my 5gallon because the oto I tried to keep in there was getting stressed out from how small the tank was.

 

[gemach7]

What are some good algae eaters for a 10g and a 20g. Right now there's a lot of brown algae and black hair algae in my 20 and brown in my 10. Anything that can help is wonderful


Keep calm and drum on

If your having algae issues I would first try feeding less. They need nutrients to grow so would guess either phosphates or nitrates are high. Adding fish to solve a problem except aesthetics imo never works.

I personally don't see a benefit in algae reduction from Plecos, but this is my opinion.

Netrite snails are an ok invertebrate and can't reproduce in freshwater.

 

[Saekalive]

Get snails! They are good at keeping down algae if you have enougg, and also, how long do you have your lights on? Are the tanks in front of windows? If you have lighta, try breaking up the photoperiod, by doing 4 on 2 off 4 on

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[Trainer_Ruby_]

I run lights from 8:30-8:30 and there is little light from windows.


Keep calm and drum on

 

[Saekalive]

That is way to much light for a day cycle. I run my lights from 3:45 to 10:45. 7 hours in total. Consider downgrading the amount of lighttime to 8 hours and break up the photo period.

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[Trainer_Ruby_]

Alright. Changed the times to 8-12 and 2-6


Keep calm and drum on

 

[evil Nick]

black hair/black beard algea, red ram horns. Their the only thing I have found aside my molly that eats the stuff. Or japanica shrimp if nothing in your tank will eat them.

brown = ottos, but you need a bunch. They need a school and HALF of whatever you buy will die off.

I just got a rainbow goby and its small, loves eating algea off my plants leaves and is insanely cool to watch. He chases my poor ottos to no end but can NOT catch them lol.

If you can find one Id recommend that.


Plecos (bushy nose) are good while theyre little but will outgrow algea eating when they realize food gets dropped in and will be to big for a 20 gallon tank. Mine was a BEAST.


ps
Just read your sig, you a drummer?

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

Red ram horns are snails correct? If so would my assassin snails try to kill them?
And yes I'm a drummer


Keep calm and drum on

 

[candymancan]

These are the best algae eaters in my experience..


1. Nerite Snails for diatoms/brown algae.
2. Ottocinclus for brown/diatoms
3. Siamese algae eaters for all types of hair algae, including brown hair, green, black beard ect..


And believe it or not, for green spot algae and brown algae, I found that those annoying pest maylasion trumpet snails clear that up.. but I wouldn't recommend them.. I had them by accident in my tank but it sure cleared up my gsa


I havent had black beard or any hair algae since I put 4 Siamese in my 92g awhile back, and I had major brown hair algae in that tank, and within days they cleaned it up, even on the roots of my plants that weren't planted

 

[sinibotia]

The best algae eaters are algae magnets, and less food! Remember that anything that eats algae also puts out waste, which algae will feed on, so even algae eaters don't decrease your algae in the long run. The only way to decrease the algae for good is to remove it from the tank yourself and to reduce the nutrients available to it.

 

[candymancan]

There is no way to remove black beard algae or green spot algae, do you realize how hard that stuff is to remove ? you have to tear leafs off removing them.. And diatoms from a new tank isn't because of overfeeding and what not, nerite snails tear that stuff up.. Ill never have a tank without algae eaters..

 

[Sonata]

I have a 30 gallon goldfish tank with 2 fantails. Of course it is a cold water tank. Is there an algae eater that will clean & live under those conditions ?

 

[29PalmsRanch]

Ramshorns...

Red ram horns are snails correct? If so would my assassin snails try to kill them?
And yes I'm a drummer


Keep calm and drum on

Hey, I'm new here but not new to aquaculture. If I may, I'd like to give you some advice about ramshorn snails. They are VERY prolific. So unless you want your tank over ran by them, juveniles are the way to go. The trick is removing them before they can reproduce. Because once they start sticking their young un's on your glass... be prepared for a zillion of them. They will nail anything that is dead or dying plant material in your aquarium for sure. But if I were you, I'd count how many went in so that you can search and find them when they are done with their work If you keep puffers, cichlids, tilapia, or prawn... they all find these snails to be tasty treats.