Fibsog
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Guys, i need to know what to do for my guppy tank. Its is a month old now, and algae growth has begun. What algae eating animal (snail or fish) should go in a 4g?
In a 4g, you will be limited on fish. Some might say an otocinclus would work, but I would strongly disagree. That's just too small a tank for an algae eating fish IMO. With that said, snails and shrimp do wonders on algae with very little bio load, so they are perfect for your tank. If you have a lot of algae, go with a Nerite snail, maybe 2. They don't eat anything but algae, though, so they starve if there isn't enough. I prefer mystery snails. Much more fun to watch, and great for cleanup of algae and other detritus (like leftover food). I would also consider some algae eating shrimp. Red cherries are pretty, but Japanese algae eaters would do better. Either or both would be awesome In your 4 gallon. As for the cause of algae, too much light and too much food are likely responsible. Good luck!
I supplement my mystery snails with algae tabs from time to time. I find that breaking them up and scattering them makes sure the snails find them. Realistically, though, since mysteries will eat nearly anything, a little extra food in the tank (flakes, pellets, whatever) keeps them happy and algae is unnecessary. The Nerites are picky; the mysteries are not. Shrimp are fun anyway and get delicate leaves clean. I would add both. 1 Mystery and maybe 4 cherry, crystal, or Japanese algae eaters. I would avoid ghost shrimp; they can get aggressive.
I would suggest first finding the underlying reason for the algae. What type of algae is it? How long are your lights on? As stated, the tank is too small for algae eating fish. Mystery snails may work, but they bring a decent bioload with them. I'd probably suggest a single amano shrimp, depending on the actual type(s) of algae.
I'm with this guy. My brother and a mate have been having algae issues, simply caused by running lights too long. I only use mine for 6 hours or so and have never had a single issue with algae.
Definitely agree with both. I have no algae either, which I chalk up to a COMBINATION of factors, including limiting lights (plants root in the dark, so they actually get much healthier looking if not over-lit anyway), keeping lots of plants to compete with the algae for nutrients in the water column, and having a small cleanup crew of shrimp and snails. But both posters here are totally accurate in saying that lighting (either artificial or natural) is likely at least partially at fault for your algae. Still, I find the algae and algae-eaters to be a fun part of the whole ecosystem.
I agree. No need to unnecessarily increase bioload on a small tank. Nerite is a good way to go, but may need to be rehomed once you get the algae under control holistically.
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