Alage eaters wanted!!!

[rebekahbirch]

hi there, are there any algae eaters (green spot algae, brown algae, and POSSIBLY some hair algae) that aren't sensitive to a newly cycled tank?
i need one now, and i wanted otocinclus ones, and a zebra nerite snail but lfs says that they are extremely delicate, and need a well established tank so 'no' to them for a while!
so, any suggestions? prefferably one that doesn't need sand, or will get too big?
(i have gravel, and i've recently finished cycleing, so making any changes is the last thing on my mind! )
thanks in advance!

 

[James_in_MN]

I didn't wait months to add ottos to my 20g tank, but I didn't put them in right when my tank finished cycling either. All three are still doing just fine, so I must have done something right.

Ottos need an established tank, and there's a fine line between a fully cycled tank and an established one. When I asked the board about the difference between the two, I was told that even if a tank is fully cycled, it can go through some fluctuations. For example, it could go through a couple mini-cycles. Once it has been running for a few months (aka established), it probably won't see many changes, and would be safe to add more sensitive fish.

So long as you're testing ammonia/nitrIte/nitrAte and pH/GH/KH, and it doesn't vary over a period of a few weeks to a few months after it's fully cycled, you're tank should be established and should be OK to add ottos. The wisest course of action would be to make them the last fish added, because any time you add a group of fish to your tank, you increase the bio-load on the biological filtration, and potentially cause a mini-cycle.

 

[fort384]

Siamese Algae Eaters are good algae eater for a newly established tank (it is cycled already right?).

I would caution against thinking that any algae eater is going to solve any problems... the key is getting to the root cause of your excess algae and eliminating whatever variable is causing it. Adding to the bioload may exacerbate the problem, rather than helping.

 

[Biubekeeper]

I have some ottos. Believe it or not in a biube. Very happy and got rid of all my algae within a week! I highly recommend them.

 

[Homedog98]

I don't think nerite snails are THAT sensitive... But I I do love the ottos!

 

[siva]

hi there, are there any algae eaters (green spot algae, brown algae, and POSSIBLY some hair algae) that aren't sensitive to a newly cycled tank?
i need one now, and i wanted otocinclus ones, and a zebra nerite snail but lfs says that they are extremely delicate, and need a well established tank so 'no' to them for a while!
so, any suggestions? prefferably one that doesn't need sand, or will get too big?
(i have gravel, and i've recently finished cycleing, so making any changes is the last thing on my mind! )
thanks in advance!

You are lucky to get such great advice from your lfs! I would not add oto's until the tank has been established for 6 months. Nerites, on the hand, IME are just fine as soon as the cycle is complete.