So let me start by saying: I've only been keeping fish for a little over a year, and I am learning, but there is SO MUCH to learn. I currently have a 20 gallon tank with 6 glo tetras, I had a glo shark and Chinese Algae Eater but this morning they were both dead. From what I've tried to learn the Golden Chinese Algae Eater could have sucked the sharks slime coating off, he was fine until I introduced the GCAE. But my tank has is starting to get Algae on the glass and plants and decor so I wanted an Algae eating helper in the tank, what's the best thing to get that won't eat my fish? my kids and husband are not happy?
Algae in tetra tank! Please help?
- Thread starter MamaCoco
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Chinese algae eaters are known to not being good company with other fish, so its a possibility your 2 fish had a bust up. I doubt the gloshark provides a good meal of slime coat to be worth the effort of chasing it down, but it could have been a fight. How long where they together?
When you say you want something that wont eat your other fish, you mean something that eats algae?
The best way to control algae is through your lighting period. How long are your lights on for? You are looking for a period of lighting that balances out the amount of manual maintenance you are prepared to do to clean up algae with plant growth (if you have plants). This normally works out at around 6 to 8 hours lighting a day.
Something that eats algae? Snails are the obvious solution. A fish? A small group of otos or a small pleco. If you get a pleco make sure you know what type you are getting and how big they are as adults. Some plecos get big, common plecos can grow to 2 feet, but many smaller species can be found.
When you say you want something that wont eat your other fish, you mean something that eats algae?
The best way to control algae is through your lighting period. How long are your lights on for? You are looking for a period of lighting that balances out the amount of manual maintenance you are prepared to do to clean up algae with plant growth (if you have plants). This normally works out at around 6 to 8 hours lighting a day.
Something that eats algae? Snails are the obvious solution. A fish? A small group of otos or a small pleco. If you get a pleco make sure you know what type you are getting and how big they are as adults. Some plecos get big, common plecos can grow to 2 feet, but many smaller species can be found.
I’m assuming this tank has been set up for a year? If you’re having algae issues after a year it’s wise to fix the cause of the algae rather than just throwing fish at it to try and clean it up!
Like mentioned, algae blooms on a cycled tank is either due to excessive lighting or nutrients. You need to find this balance to keep the algae levels down. Snails, nerites especially are a great option for helping clean up algae. They are one of the better options for a cleanup crew and they can’t reproduce in freshwater (they will still lay eggs)
Like mentioned, algae blooms on a cycled tank is either due to excessive lighting or nutrients. You need to find this balance to keep the algae levels down. Snails, nerites especially are a great option for helping clean up algae. They are one of the better options for a cleanup crew and they can’t reproduce in freshwater (they will still lay eggs)
blackberry75
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
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If you have live plants, I recommend a light break in the middle of the day. In my tanks I have the time set to 5h of light in the morning, 4h off, and 6h on in the evening. The plants seem to thrive with this schedule and I have minimal algae issues. It's not perfect, 'cause I still have some algae but not a lot. The snails and shrimp munch on the algae and critters that live in the algae, so I'm willing to live with it
If you don't have plants, I recommend getting some. Anubis or java ferns are a good choice if you don't want to plant anything. The plants will pull excess nutrients out of the water, leaving less for algae. The idea being getting the plants to out compete the algae.
If you don't want to deal with plants at all, a thorough gravel vac and water change will remove excess nutrients. You'd have to do this frequently to keep excess nutrients low. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Algae is the bain of many of us in the hobby
If you don't have plants, I recommend getting some. Anubis or java ferns are a good choice if you don't want to plant anything. The plants will pull excess nutrients out of the water, leaving less for algae. The idea being getting the plants to out compete the algae.
If you don't want to deal with plants at all, a thorough gravel vac and water change will remove excess nutrients. You'd have to do this frequently to keep excess nutrients low. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Algae is the bain of many of us in the hobby
This tank had a Black Moore and an Oranda in for almost a year, and I woke to find my Oranda dead(had been having off and on problems of swim bladder) and about 2 months later my Black Moore massed suddenly. I set the tank back up, it cycled for probably 2-3 weeks, and I put in the tetras and shark, they had been going fine for almost 2 months. Suddenly the last couple of weeks the Algae started just on 3 sides of the tank, and on the decor. I have one live plant(I can't remember what it is). I got the Chinese golden at Petco?(don't come for me it's all I got) she said it would be fine with my fish. I know a few people that couldn't keep freshwater snails alive in their tetra tanks. But I am willing to give them a try. I've only been doing the fish thing for like a year and half so like I said, still learning. It's a basic tank, filter and light hood that came with it. But I will start turning my light off some. I do vacuum the rocks about every 2 weeks unless it looks like it needs to be done. I just thought if I added a "an Algae eater or some type of cleaner fish that would help.
Adding an algae eating fish/snail is going to help, but it’s not a solution to the issue.
At only 2 months since being set up, it’s likely just a new tank bloom (nutrient imbalance) that will go away on its own as the tank ‘seasons’. In this case the easiest thing to do is limit a controllable factor of the imbalance which is usually controlling light hours and not over feeding.
I’m definitely not saying that you’re wasting time with snails or other algae eaters, they are going to help. Just don’t expect them to keep up with an algae bloom as they will be fighting a losing battle
At only 2 months since being set up, it’s likely just a new tank bloom (nutrient imbalance) that will go away on its own as the tank ‘seasons’. In this case the easiest thing to do is limit a controllable factor of the imbalance which is usually controlling light hours and not over feeding.
I’m definitely not saying that you’re wasting time with snails or other algae eaters, they are going to help. Just don’t expect them to keep up with an algae bloom as they will be fighting a losing battle
