Poison Algae

chemflex

Fish Crazy
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Feb 2, 2003
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Prescot, Merseyside, UK
Does anyone have any idea if there is such a things as poison algae.

My water parameters are fine so I know that is not the problems.

Every time I put any fish in that eat algae they die. I have had various L numbers, ansistras and common flying fox - but they all die!!

Any ideas?
 
There are types of algae that are poisonous. However, I doubt that your tank cultivated any of the kinds (as they are generally deadly to all fish, not just certain kinds). And, fish have very sensitive chemical receptors in their mouths, and most wouldn't be ingesting something that is poisonous in nature. Perhaps you should cover your husbandry in the catfish section and see if the experts in there may have some suggestions.
 
Rather than look for poisonous algae, why not look at your water parameters and the requirements of the fish you have been buying? Although BGA is indeed poisonous to many fish, as Bignose said few fish will try to eat it. That leaves us looking for another reason that you are losing fish. Some of the other factors that are not immediately obvious are the mineral content of your water and the corresponding pH. Mineral content of water can be a bit tricky to work with since the readily available information about the fish seldom includes that data. A guide that I end to use is the hardness and pH numbers that are often well known. Water with a low pH that is fairly soft I read as water low in TDS in most cases. Water that is hard with a high pH I read as high in mineral content. Once I have decided that a fish requires a high low o]r medium mineral content IO set about trying to achieve that condition. If my own tap water has a high mineral content, I decide how much rain water I will need to mix with it to get a low enough mineral content for the fish. If my water is fairly soft, not the case I am dealing with right now, I look to bring the mineral content higher using things like crushed shell or crushed coral in the filter to introduce some calcium carbonate into the water. Water must be matched within reasonable limits to the fish or you will have problems keeping the fish thriving.
 

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