Pure Laterite

[ICEEGRL]

A good portion of the laterite is now on top of the eco complete... can this be part of my algae take over?
If so... What can I do about it?

Also I need to know how to get the trumpet snails out of my substrate. If I boil it... will that hurt the substrate? It costs too much to mess it up, but the snails are getting out of hand!

Thanks for helping

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Amanda,

I doubt the laterite is the cause of your algae. Mostly likely that is a result of unstable CO2.

You could boil the substrate, however could you fit a small dwarf chain loach in the tank? They'll hoover up snails until the cows come home!

Sam

 

[ICEEGRL]

Honey... I could fit a lot of fish in there... I just can't find any. All the pet shops around here closed. I am moving things around and all that will be in there are about 15 to 20 corys in a 55g tank. (and several are fry...)
I have been hunting algae eaters for almost 2 years... If I can't find an algae eater how am I going to find a loach?
I am going to be forced to save up and spend a fortune in shipping and mail order some fish. Is there a decent place to get them in the states? (That has prices that won't make me have a stroke...)
I have been wanting kooli loaches... will they eat snails too?
I am changing back to low lighting to see if that will help. I can't keep the co2 going. It bubbles like crazy for about 2 days and then stops. I finally gave up on it. That was too much trouble and it was really stressing the fish.

I will check around and see if I can come up with some info on the loach. Do they do well with corys?
Will they hurt my plants? How many do you have to keep together?

Have you seen how the algae has taken over? It is covering everything. As soon as I can clean it off it comes right back and fast too.

Thanks for the response Sam. I really appreciate the help.

 

[jollysue]

Actually Malaysian Trumpet Snails eat algae but not plants--according to George Farmer. Malaysian Trumpets are considered to be a great boon by many, as are some Apple Snails who also eat algae.

 

[ICEEGRL]

The ones I have don't eat the algae off the plants. They eat it off the walls and then pick the few clean plant and munch the plant.
Then they breed all the time. I have so many that they are taking over. It is not pretty to go look at your plants and all you see is snails hanging everywhere! These things are nasty not pretty, and they deposit eggs on everythig.
We have to take Shay to the dentist today. I am going to check again and see if I can find a loach and algae eater while we are in a town near a pet shop. (if Shay isn't feeling too bad...)

I have about decided there must be snails in the food. I get them without adding anything to the tank! The only thing coming in is the food and water. Snails just appear... I don't get it! I just absolutely can't stand snails. They make me ill just thinking about them... It literally makes me sick at my stomach if I accidentally touch one or their eggs during maintenance... It happened just yesterday while I was trying to clean some of the algae off of one of my anubias.

There has got to be a way to stop the algae and snails! I can't enjoy my fish and plants any more... They are killing my love of the hobby!

 

[ICEEGRL]

View attachment 50019
View attachment 50020
These are a couple of my snails. I can't stand these things!
It is like having roaches... I don't want them! It is just NASTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[garuf]

You may have an aversion to snails but they only proliferate in a tank where algae is present for them to eat.
This said they're doing you a favour.

 

[jollysue]

Those aren't Malaysian Trumpets. Trumpets look like trumpets. People pay to get Malaysian Trumpet snails.

Those are closer to Ram's Horns. Only Ram's Horns are kinda attractive. You might be able to pick up Apple Snails. They get really big--silver dollar size--and they don't eat plants. The eggs are easy to contol as they lay them outside the water line in large cone shapes. But be sure you get the right Apples. I think that Ram's Horns and the ones you have are fish food eaters and also eat plants. You want a couple of loaches.

 

[garuf]

Don't get apple snails, they're known plant eaters.
nerites are the true algae snail.

 

[jollysue]

I don't know where you are getting your information, garuf, but there is more than one species of Apple Snail. The Pomacea bridgesii Apple snail does not eat plants but will eat algae. It is often sold as the Mystery Snail. Although mystery snails are not really the Pomacea bidgesii The mystery snail bears live young and the bridgesii lays eggs.

The most common cause of snail proliferation is uneaten food. Although MTS and others will proliferate if there is heavy algae as well as uneaten food. Uneaten food also encourages algae growth.

There are several snails that are considered beneficial to the tank. Apples (Pomcea bridgesii) and MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) are at the top of the list. But there are also many species that are a menace to the tank and will mow down a planted tank overnight, although i have not had this happen personally. The before mentioned Apples/bridgesii and MTS are not those.

Check your snail information here: TFF pinned Snail Species

Checking the info on the invert pin I suppose those are Ram's Horns, ICEEGRL.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I looked for loaches yesterday, but the only one I could find was one little dojo loach. I don't know anything about them so I didn't get it.
I did get an algae eater though. It is not what I was looking for, but it will do for now. I am thinking at a later date it will need a different tank. (when it gets larger...)
I want to get it identified so I can get more info on it. It is very pretty. I looked it up at planet catfish and found a few that are very similar. I am leaning most toward hypostomus punctatus or L346. I am not good at figuring out what fish are though. I have been wrong many times in the past. All they knew was "common". What is common though? All that tells me is it gets big. I need more info.
His/her name is Tiny.
View attachment 50062

 

[ICEEGRL]

View attachment 50063
Tiny is about 4 1/2 inches long (end to end) right now.
Any one that knows what Tiny really is please tell me. I would also like to try to find out if he is a girl or boy if possible.

Thanks for helping

 

[ICEEGRL]

Anyone?

 

[Themuleous]

Ask in the pleco forum