Fish Compatibility+ Tanks

[syhko]

Hello!

What algae eater be in my tank with 3 yoyo loaches? It is quite small right now, it's a 10-gallon tank, but algae is growing and we need an algae eater that will hold its weight with the loaches. We have a dominant loach in the tank, the biggest one, which is a little bit longer than the other loaches. However, the loaches are still babies and small enough to live in the tank for now, but we need to upgrade soon because they grow quick. We plan to get a new tank soon for them but we do need an algae eater who can live with yoyo loaches for now until I have enough money for my babies.

ALSO any websites where I can buy tanks for a good price? I know it's never cheap but if I can get a good deal and maybe a good kit then that would be good. Please link some websites or give recommendations.

[Colin_T]

Post a picture of the algae so we know what type it is, and an entire picture of the tank so we can see how it's planted.

What sort of light unit is above the aquarium?
How long is the light on for each day?
What is the Kelvin (K) rating of the globe, or the colour spectrum?

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the aquarium?

What is the ammonia, nitrite & nitrate of the water?
What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

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As a general rule you don't add fish to solve a problem. You find out what the cause is and fix that.

Algae grows anywhere there is light and water. If you have lots of live plants in the tank, algae won't do as well. If you don't have any live plants in the tank, then algae will grow instead.

Loaches should be kept in groups of at least 6. They have a pecking order with a dominant female ruling the group. The females get bigger than males and the dominant female will be the biggest fish in the group. Once these fish have a group, you have to be careful about adding new fish to that group. Try to add younger smaller fish so there is less chance of them being killed.

[Aiken Drum]

As said its better to solve the algae at source rather than trying to get something that will eat it. Colin has asked all the relevant questions there.

Is the algae such a problem it "needs" to be dealt with? Algae growth is a natural part of aquarium keeping, it normally doesnt do any harm to the fish, it might cause some problems if you have plants covered in it so they cant photosynthesise. Otherwise it can just be unsightly, but can usually be manually be cleaned up. Its then just a matter of adjusting your lighting to the point where you find a balance between the amount of light you need to enjoy your tank, the amount of light you need to keep any plants healthy, and the amount of work you are prepared to do to manually clean it up. I like the look of a little algae, makes things look more natural.

As to where to get tanks at good prices, might be helpful to let people know your approx location so people can direct you to local stores or websites that will deliver to where you are. Some of our members actively seek out 2nd hand tanks and equipment and can give advice on that also. Maybe thats something to consider if you are on a budget.