Brown Algae

[SLIM]

Well I bought 2 plecos to be exact. I didnt just get them for the algae, I had always planned on keeping them.
And believe it or not it was them and them alone who cleared it all up. There are still very small traces of brown algae but not noticable at all. First they cleaned of the plant leaves, then moved onto the rocks and gravel, then finally cleaned the glass.
And it took more like 5 or 6 days. I had actually bought the plecos before adding this post but because they didnt really touch the algae in the first few days, I decided to put this post up to find alternative messures of controlling the algae.
Once they settled in tho they ate constantly on the algae til it was gone.

That's good to hear, as I will be getting a new tank very soon. If plecos can fix the problem, then I can perhaps nip it in the bud by not allowing it to get established. What size are the plecos?

They are small, only about an inch n a half. But they both cleaned my 260L very quickly.

Do you know the species?

I think they are common plecos. It didnt say at the shop what type they where.
I know common plecos get HUGE but they are very small at the mo and it will take a couple of years if not more before they start to out grow my aquarium. And by then il probably have an even bigger tank!
If not il do the sensible thing and rehome them.

To grow algae in a jar like you suggested, dont you have to add fish food to the water to?
Or will it just grow without it?

 

[aaronnorth]

At least you know, although they are much messier than another fish at the same size. I had an 8" plec I think it was, and the amount of poo I had to siphon out was truly ridiculous, it was more than all the other fishes put together!


There should be enough nutrients in the tap water, but just adding 1 flake will be fine... or use tank water.