I need something that eats algae that will not add a lot of bioload to my 25gal tank. The pleco and flying fox do an okay job, but a couple of the ornaments are getting very green... The molly frys that are almost ready to go to the LFS and the corys, believe it or not, are doing a good job of picking brown algae off the large plastic plants, but once the molly frys are gone, I don't know if the corys will keep up with the brown algae. They're just too big to get into the spots the frys can reach. Anyway, I saw something called an algae shrimp at the LFS when I got my dwarf puffers. They are quite attractive, and from what I've read effective at algae control, but they're $1.99 each!! Are ghost shrimp a better alternative? What about amano shrimp? One of the sites I visited said they are the best at algae control. And what is the likelyhood that said shrimp will become dinner? The tank is mollys, tetras, corys and a female betta.
Shrimp or snails for algae control?
- Thread starter JenNewbie
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
rubysoho
Aquarium Advice Addict
I had a ghost shrimp, and although he was very good at cleaning up the bottom of the tank, I never really saw him go for too much algae. Mainly just picking up what my fish might have missed. As far as the other ones go, I have no idea.
I'm not sure about the mollys, but I think everyone else should leave the shrimp alone... I had some tetras and corys which didn't bother the shrimp, and a friend of mine has a betta and a ghost shrimp together and they don't seem to mind eachother.
good luck!
I'm not sure about the mollys, but I think everyone else should leave the shrimp alone... I had some tetras and corys which didn't bother the shrimp, and a friend of mine has a betta and a ghost shrimp together and they don't seem to mind eachother.
good luck!
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'll bet that $1.99 shrimp was an Amano - that is what they go for around here.
I keep lots of shrimp and I would not say that they totally keep algae at bay. They certainly do eat it, but you would need quite a legion of them to keep a tank "clean." What about an Ancistrus sp. - a bristlenose? One would stay small enough for your tank and they do a good job on algae. I would not rely on cory cats to handle algae, they are not vegetarians. Mollies do a great job on algae, as do rosy barbs, I believe, and Florida Flag Fish, but those don't work in every setup.
I keep lots of shrimp and I would not say that they totally keep algae at bay. They certainly do eat it, but you would need quite a legion of them to keep a tank "clean." What about an Ancistrus sp. - a bristlenose? One would stay small enough for your tank and they do a good job on algae. I would not rely on cory cats to handle algae, they are not vegetarians. Mollies do a great job on algae, as do rosy barbs, I believe, and Florida Flag Fish, but those don't work in every setup.
Ghost shrimp are just scavengers and won't touch algae, except algae wafers.
Amanos and cherry red shrimp (if you can get them) will browse all day for algae and will keep most of your plants, rocks and wood clean. However, they're not very good at cleaning the the glass tank walls and the red brown algae. I picked up some otos for that duty.
Amanos and cherry red shrimp (if you can get them) will browse all day for algae and will keep most of your plants, rocks and wood clean. However, they're not very good at cleaning the the glass tank walls and the red brown algae. I picked up some otos for that duty.
Corydoras4Ever
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
As far as I know, Corydoras don't eat algae at all. I thought it was one of the big misunderstandings about Corys.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have never had a cory that ate algae, but if you have some that are eating brown algae, then that's cool. They may be eating things on the algae, but they don't have a disc-shaped mouth with the rasping type teeth that most algae-eaters have. Of course, mollies, some barbs and florida flag fish will eat algae too, and they don't have the disc-shaped mouths.
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
my snails kept algae pretty low until they started eating my plants...
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I love otocinclus but mine have never eaten green algae - don't know if others have different experiences with them.
RogerMcAllen
Aquarium Advice Addict
Mine (ottos) love the fuzzy green stuff I get out of the pond.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
Okey-dokey - I guess I need to build a pond and grow me some green fuzzies for my otos! With all the rain we have had lately it seems like I am well on my way.... :|
Well, since I went on a little fish-buying spree this weekend, I went ahead and bought a rubberlip pleco (at $2.98 I thought it was a good deal). And this morning, after it's been in there only 1 night, my bright green ornament is only light green! What an awesome algae eater! I'll stock up on zebra snails for the small tanks.
Similar threads
