Algae Eaters

[pedal]

Hi.

Just a quick question, decided re-arrange my plants bad mistake, now have thread alage spreading like wildfire, have dropped light duration in half, but just after a little extra from some greedy fishes, have 6 ottos and 4/5 yamoto shrimp already, tanks 48x24x18. so far ive been advised to get the following

4/5 flying fox
Siamese flying fox
bristle nose plec
30 more yamoto's


And help?

 

[Rex740]

I suggest no flying foxes. They get very aggressive toward each other and they barely eat algae. Snails do good jobs at algae. You can either get an apple snail (grow 6 inch diameter) or a mystery snail(s) (grow 1 inch diameter) If you want apple, Ask at the invertabrate forums to see if its compatible to your tank.

 

[afishdude]

I suggest no flying foxes. They get very aggressive toward each other and they barely eat algae. Snails do good jobs at algae. You can either get an apple snail (grow 6 inch diameter) or a mystery snail(s) (grow 1 inch diameter) If you want apple, Ask at the invertabrate forums to see if its compatible to your tank.

uhm apple snails and mystery snails are they same thing... apple in UK mystery in USA. both get to the size of a golf ball.

and SAE will eat most types of algae

siamese algae eaters

 

[stang1]

It might be worth posting in the planted tank section so that someone can help you discover the cause of the algae and how to get rid of it.

 

[-germ-]

and SAE will eat most types of algae

But make practically no visible difference.....

The only fish that'll really noticably affect algae are plecos and otocinclus, but the problem you have is that the only fish that commonly eat thread algae are SAE, flying foxes and the like.....

Be extremely careful when buying anything labelled as an SAE or Flying Fox as there are ID issues and many are incorrectly labelled.

If your tank conditions are suitable and size permits i'd get a couple of bulldog plecs....

 

[rdd1952]

Be extremely careful when buying anything labelled as an SAE or Flying Fox as there are ID issues and many are incorrectly labelled.

I agree. SAEs, Flying Foxes and False SAEs all look extremely alike so you hae to know what you are looking for. Here is my SAE profile which has a good description of each.

 

[Bozza]

If the tank has a sand substrate. Id advise not to get apple snails. I have a few in my planted 3FT and it gets very dirty really quickly. Since taking out some of the snails it has become cleaner. Ive heard the flying foxes, learn that they can eat normal food instead of algae after a while and become more of a nuisance then anything