Algae Eaters

[lee8040]

whats the best algae eaters to get? for plants/rocks and abit of bogwood

 

[aaronnorth]

Shrimp are good but are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrites. They will reproduce quickly aswell.

 

[lee8040]

Shrimp are good but are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrites. They will reproduce quickly aswell.

i hate shrimps, would rather have a fish eat the algae

 

[fiskkeeperpro]

ottos

 

[aaronnorth]

BN plec? although ottos would be a better choice IMO as they wont be as 'destructive'

 

[garuf]

Snail's and shrimp you may hate them but they're far superior at eating algae.
If not otto's and siemese algae eaters (NOT chinese) are the only fish that will fit the bill.

 

[aaronnorth]

Snail's and shrimp you may hate them but they're far superior at eating algae.
If not otto's and siemese algae eaters (NOT chinese) are the only fish that will fit the bill.

Don't SAE go off algae once they become older or an adult or am i getting mixed up with CAE?

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Shrimp are good but are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrites. They will reproduce quickly aswell.

Aaron the 1st statement is true- the shrimps will have live young but will die soon after birth because they need salt/brackish water to survive. In fact its extremely difficult to rear them (i think there was a feature in the pfk magazine a couple of months back). I have loads of shrimps and the young never survive. I personally love shrimps, they have a sneaky character especially when you drop a large flake or pellet and they run across the substrate and steal it from the fish-cool

And boy do they eat my algae-stroll on

 

[aaronnorth]

Thanks for that

I though Tom Barr bought about 10 then a few months later he had about 200 in a f/w tank? I think it was a well known person if it was not him.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Thanks for that

I though Tom Barr bought about 10 then a few months later he had about 200 in a f/w tank? I think it was a well known person if it was not him.

Cant remember guy but i know it seemed like a lot of trouble slowing altering the salt level in the water and also trying to feed them- Still -some money to be made if you had the patience..........I'll stick with mi endlers thanks!!!

 

[rdd1952]

Don't SAE go off algae once they become older or an adult or am i getting mixed up with CAE?

CAEs are the ones you don't want. They stop eating algae pretty quickly and become more aggressive as they get older. SAEs are great algae eaters, depending on the type algae you have which is true for most AEs. Different fish eat different types of algae so if you are looking to solve an algae problem, it's best to figure out what is causing it and solve that problem. Below are a couple of links to sites that will help you ID the algae you have.

Floridadriftwood.com

The Planted Tank

 

[Jer-]

Shrimps do reproduce like rabbits given the right conditions, and that, is basically just clean water.

Im talking about shrimps like the Cherry red shrimp and probably all of the Neocardina species... I have Cherry reds and Pearl whites and they go off like crazy.

Amano shrimp needs brakish conditions to breed, not cherry reds, and cherry reds are equally capable of eating algea compared to the amanos.

Fish-wise, a good combination is Ottocinclus and Siamese algea eaters. Ottos eat algea like brown algea whereas the SAEs eat thread and hair algea.

Thats what I know anyway.

HTH

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Shrimps do reproduce like rabbits given the right conditions, and that, is basically just clean water.

Im talking about shrimps like the Cherry red shrimp and probably all of the Neocardina species... I have Cherry reds and Pearl whites and they go off like crazy.

Amano shrimp needs brakish conditions to breed, not cherry reds, and cherry reds are equally capable of eating algea compared to the amanos.

Fish-wise, a good combination is Ottocinclus and Siamese algea eaters. Ottos eat algea like brown algea whereas the SAEs eat thread and hair algea.

Thats what I know anyway.

HTH

Yes-actually i should have said that amanos need saltwater/brackish-my fault-i forgot about the cherries.....

 

[groovitudedude]

Don't SAE go off algae once they become older or an adult or am i getting mixed up with CAE?

CAEs are the ones you don't want. They stop eating algae pretty quickly and become more aggressive as they get older. SAEs are great algae eaters, depending on the type algae you have which is true for most AEs. Different fish eat different types of algae so if you are looking to solve an algae problem, it's best to figure out what is causing it and solve that problem. Below are a couple of links to sites that will help you ID the algae you have.

Floridadriftwood.com

The Planted Tank

I have a CAE and it's fine. No aggression, still eats algae.

And no, it's not a 1 inch long fry. It's 4 inches long.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

I had a chinese algae eater once-at about 3 inches it turned into mike tyson-nothing was safe in the tank-so now its history!