Algae eaters

[roscoe]

I recently set up a 10 gal semi planted tank and considering some algae eaters. Since the tank is brackish I am unsure if there are any. Heres what I've got so far:
brackish tank SG 1.012
10 gal 20"x10"x11"
Eclipse 1 w/ some filter modifications
15 watt powerglo bulb
50 watt heater
DIY C02
2" natural gravel
Java fern
Java moss
Anubias
1 plant
some drift wood
spotted puffer
3 feeder guppies

I will soon be adding 32 watts of light and in order to keep algae low I hope to add some sort of algae eater.

Any ideas?

TIA.

 

[Fruitbat]

Unfortunately the spotted puffer is going to make almost any other fish's life quite miserable. They are fin-nippers in the worst sort of way. I watched a couple of puffers in a PetCo tank completely tear the gill cover (operculum) off a reed fish that the idiot staff put in the tank with them. This was after they had completely removed the reed fish's tail and dorsal finlets. I can't think of any sort of algae eater that would be particularly safe in a tank with a puffer.

 

[malkore]

first off, an algae eater is NOT going to magically solve an algae problem. they are handy clean up crews....but they are only meant to supplement your job, which is to keep nutrients in balance so algae is minimal.

 

[patryuji]

You just recently set it up eh? Well in my *limited* experience it takes some time to get the nutrients just right and the plants growing well enough to eliminate algae.

In the initial month or two I was also considering a plethora of algae eaters to come in and clean my tank and keep future growth at bay. Now I have noticed that very little algae grows in my tank since the plants are growing tremendously...and the algae eaters spend their time eating flake, algae wafers, etc.

Even my java moss which came from the store half black due to algae growth is now a vibrant green after a month.

 

[madasafish]

Patryuji is right--algae tends to chill a bit after the first month or two if you have plants in there to off-set algae's capabililty to use up the nitrates. However, I'd recommend having some faster-growing plants (e.g. Hygros, Hornwort) in there to accomplish this. Slow growers such as Anubias (and to an extent Java moss, Java fern) won't accomplish this as quickly.

Roscoe, your question about algae eaters in brackish-water tanks comes up every so often, and I've never once seen a good answer in these forums or elsewhere. This seems to be the ultimate unsolvable issue: no sucker-mouthed catfish live in brackish water.... As far as I know, Loricariids are limited to South American streams in relatively high elevations and jungles. These seldom encounter saline water (though the Amazon and other larger rivers such as the Orinoco are tidal for part of their lengths). Some ppl have used bristlenose plecos with moderate success, but these and other plecs are not designed to live in this sort of water (see the water type info for these guys: http://www.fishbase.org/NomenClatur...ntains&Crit2_Value=&group=summary&backstep=-2).

And Loricariidae encompasses all the major algae eaters--plecs, otos and even rhinoloricarids (lizard cats). Sorry, bud. Brackish tanks are the exception to every rule, and can be a real PITA for this reason. Hope you find a good algae eater for the tank.