Algae eating -- normal?

[fishieguy]

Unless I'm mistaken, my platies are eating the diatom algae in my tank. Is this normal? Or are they feasting on something else that I can't detect? I didn't know they did that.

 

[chasgood]

My Platies eat the same stuff. Would rather the fish eat it than me cleaning the stuff out of the tank.

 

[pkremer]

I have found that ALL my fish will peck at algae sometimes, including my yo-yo loaches and my gourami. I don't have a problem with it...

Paul

 

[fishieguy]

Thanks for the input. What's also interesting is the behaviorism of this. I had two platies that I used to cycle the tank -- they NEVER touched the diatoms. I recently added another platy and he went right at it -- must have been a habit from his store tank days. Anyway, now one of my other platies has picked up the habit. I'm certain the other platy only started doing it because he saw the new fish do it. Funny.

 

[TankGirl]

That is cool, and is typical of these algae loving livebearers. Have you tried an algae wafer? They will adore it. I love that the one fish taught the other a new skill!