How Do I Get Rid of This Black Algae?

[Maxp123]

Have a bunch of black algae on a pink coral decor I have and it makes it look like crap. I just bought a Chinese Algae Eater from a local pet store. Will this little guy eat that? Or should I scrub off the algae with my hands? I tried taking the coral out of the tank but the algae still remains. After a month of having it out, I bought the algae eater and decided to out the decor back in.

[fishfanatic]

I would recommend scrubbing it with a tooth brush (a new tooth brush, that has not been used). I usually run it under some water and scrub it and the algae will come off. As far as the algae eater I am not sure, I have never owned one... sorry

[paytertot]

When they get bigger, Chinese algae eaters get very lazy and will stop eating whatever little amount of algae they have slowly consumed thus far. Also, they will enjoy snacking on the slime coats of some fish.

[Maxp123]

What should I do? I haven't gotten a definite answer

[revchristinejday]

Dear Maxp123,

BBA can be very difficult to eradicate--I speak from experience. BBA likes too much light, too little CO2 and overfeeding. Check out other threads about BBA.

If you have plants, you may have to treat the plants in quarantine with Excel Flourish and blackout for a period of time. Also the lights may be too much. Try a blackout and or interrupting the photosynthesis time--4 hours into...dark...2 hours on. A timer is helpful.

If you have no plants, take the coral out and scrub with toothbrush and bleach then rinse, rinse, rinse and declorinate.

It might be good to blackout the aquarium for a while (3 days) to starve any other spots of BBA out that were too small to notice.

Also, Chinese Algae Eaters are not effective on BBA. The only known BBA eaters are true Siamese Algae Eaters. They do get big though.

Chris

[haen]

I hve found that soaking the coral with algae in Hydrogen peroxide, works like a charm.
The other good thing about hydrogen peroxide is that you can rinse it off and it leaves no residue.
Just an experiment from the past
HN

[paytertot]

Originally Posted by haen

I hve found that soaking the coral with algae in Hydrogen peroxide, works like a charm.
The other good thing about hydrogen peroxide is that you can rinse it off and it leaves no residue.
Just an experiment from the past
HN

What kinds of algae has that worked for you against? That's a great tip!

[haen]

It worked on grey, / green, and brown algae.
I presume it will work on all.
HN

[Maxp123]

Are these Chinese or Siamese Algae Eaters?

[Mumma.of.two]

Those are cories. They don't eat algae. The fish in the middle is a CAE (?)
Take out the decor and scrub it clean. Cut back on lighting and dose excel if you have live plants.