How do I know loach is getting enough food?

[Fredje]

I started stocking my new 50l aquarium with 4 gold dust mollies (3F + 1M) and a loach (sewellia lineolata). After 3 days NO2 and NH4 have remained 0, NO3 around 15ppm now.

2 questions:

- How can I tell if the loach is getting enough food? The mollies are so quick to eat everything, including what falls on the bottom, so I'm not sure the loach has enough to eat.

- Both species eat algae, how do I get some algae to grow in my aquarium? It currently holds 6 plants. Do I let NO3 go up to levels of, say, 30ppm before changing water? Or move the aquarium into a spot where it gets a few hours of sunlight?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Rivercats]

You might want to look up info on how to grow algae on rocks outside you tank. Then you can rotate algae rocks in and put clean rocks back to grow again. I know they can be difficult to get to eat. You might want to try getting some zucchini and softening it and weighting it on the bottom. They have been know to eat that, but again your going to have molly issues with wanting to eat it also. Personally I'd try going algae I wouldn't encourage it in my tank.

 

[Fredje]

Thanks Rivercats, I'll try the rock suggestion. I planned to put a few smooth rocks in the pump's water flow for the loach anyway.

By the way I love your aquarium, hope to be able do that too some day.

 

[Rivercats]

My tank is still a work in progress but thanks! If you have a sunny window you should be able to grow plenty of algae to use in your tank. You could maybe also try to add a algae wafer after the tank lights are off to see if perhaps it will feed when the mollies aren't there hogging everything.