How many snails?

[LLG]

I have a lot of algae in my 29 gallon tank. I have 6 shelldwellers, 4 small killifish, 1 pleco and 2 nerite snails. The pleco and snails can't keep up with algae, especially the algae growing on the shells and plants.

I scrub the glass every week when I change water and every few days, when I see how bad it looks. What happens to the algae when you scrub the glass? Does it go to the bottom and then grow again? Or release toxins into the water?

Would it make sense to get a few more nerite snails to help clean it?

 

[SaraB]

Yes or you could get a trio of mystery snails and hope they breed.
Otocinclus are amazing algae cleaners...if you can keep them alive.

 

[m.j.gomez]

I have a lot of algae in my 29 gallon tank. I have 6 shelldwellers, 4 small killifish, 1 pleco and 2 nerite snails. The pleco and snails can't keep up with algae, especially the algae growing on the shells and plants.

I scrub the glass every week when I change water and every few days, when I see how bad it looks. What happens to the algae when you scrub the glass? Does it go to the bottom and then grow again? Or release toxins into the water?

Would it make sense to get a few more nerite snails to help clean it?

Hello, it would be better to find out what's causing the algae to grow. When new I had a really had a big problem w/algae all over everything. Found out I made 2 major mistakes. I had set up my tank in front of a big picture window & natural sun light makes it go wild + I had a bad habit of overfeeding(even snacks).
So to correct these problems I placed a big piece of plywood to block back of tank w/curtains drawn as much as possible, cut feedings to 2x a day & what they can eat in 2min. This helped a lot but then found out I had to limit tank lighting too. As a rule 4hrs no plants & 6hrs w/plants. Hope this helps!!!!!

 

[LLG]

Thanks for your answers. I love otoclinus cats but have been told that the cichlids will kill them (hard to believe, they look so peaceful, just digging in the sand and peeking out of their shells).

Is there a reason not to use more snails? The shellies don't seem to like the pleco around their shells, but they don't mind the nerites.

 

[SaraB]

No but if the algae issue is from too much light then you wouldn't have an algae problem if you reduce the lights.

 

[LLG]

Decrease the intensity of the light or the number of hours it's on. I thought that the plants needed a lot of light.

 

[libertybelle]

Either / both; depends on what kind of light, depth of tank what nutrients are around, type of plants.... etc etc.

There’s a lot of variables!

More light is not always better and if you’re getting lots of algae than something is out of balance and cutting back the light and possibly feeding less is the most likely solution.

I personally do have a tank full of otos and nerites because I just love the little guys so I leave the lights on for pretty long photoperiods in order to help feed them. So they can certainly be part of finding your balance.

Whatever algae eater you decide on just give them time. I wouldn’t add a bunch at once as it can take them time to settle in and really get munching. Add too many and they’ll eat up everything and either starve or need supplemental food. Both otos and nerites in my experience would prefer to eat natural algae and biofilms than to bother with pellets.

 

[LLG]

I am going to start by decreasing the light intensity and hours it's on. I will also decrease the amount of food...painful though it will be ("is everyone getting enough food?").

The tank won't be running out of algae any time soon. Does anything eat that hairy stuff, which seems to come in different colors? It's hard to get off of the leaves.

Otoclinus cats or hillstream loaches would be wonderful but I don't think they would be safe. The Aphanius eat a bit of algae but only as a side salad.

 

[earhtmother]

My Amano shrimp do an awesome job on hair algae

 

[LLG]

My Amano shrimp do an awesome job on hair algae

I wonder if they could survive with the cichlids and killis.

 

[earhtmother]

Not sure how shellies would react but as long as the killies are small you *should* be fine. Is there any other decor in the tank besides shells? I rarely see my Amanos as they hide VERY well, they do however like to *explore* so a lid is recommended.

 

[libertybelle]

If you have an adjustable led light you can do what I do, I leave the light on 1% all day. Lets me see the fish but doesn’t provide much to plants or algae, then I just turn it up to high for the set number of hours you want high intensity lighting. If you’re battling that much algae I would probably cut the high intensity time way back.

What kind of plants do you have? Many common plants really just don’t need that much light.

I kinda doubt your shellies could resist shrimp, almost no fish can. Amanos get pretty large and are good hiders so if you find them available for purchase at a large size and have a ton of thick plants and hiding places than maybe it’s possible?