Saimese Algae Eaters

[west-megaman]

I don't understand, theres so much algae in the aquarium but insead of eating it, they're resting! What do you guys think of this?

P.S. I bought these SAEs at http/www.aquaticstoyourdoor.co.uk/

 

[lljdma06]

Show me a picture of what you got. There are a few species that are similar and not all consume algae. What algae do you have? There are other ways to get rid of algae. We can help out with that here.

 

[west-megaman]

@lljdma:

Sorry for the late reply, but I was busy taking some pictures! The algae is a combination of hair algae and some darkish brown algae that is currently killing my Amazon Swords!

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to upload the pictures here...

 

[Gaz_S]

How often do you feed your fish and how much? Heard the SAEs can get lazy and begin to eat flakes. Id recommend zebra snails these guys havent stopped since i bought them they havent touched my plants once. Newly set up tank?

 

[west-megaman]

Show me a picture of what you got. There are a few species that are similar and not all consume algae. What algae do you have? There are other ways to get rid of algae. We can help out with that here.

I feed my fish once a day and I don't overfeed them. The strange thing is hat my SAEs never go after the food, they just rest or shoal together. Only some of them eat algae at certain times. However 6 of them decide to rest all day long on a rock or leaf.

The zebra snails, unfortunately, are not a choice because I my tank houses Clown Loaches!

My tank is also about 5 months old so it's pretty mature.

 

[west-megaman]

I also forgot to mention that I bought these SAEs about a week ago, they're 4-5 cm in length and seem to have settled well and I have 12 of them.

 

[Gaz_S]

My dad keeps them with six clown loach and they havent bothered them could be worth a try. More water changes and good clean of your substrate will help, brown algae can grow in low light so no point changing lighting think its to do with the nitrate, nitrite and phosphate.

 

[west-megaman]

@Gaz:

My ammonia and nitrites are 0 and nitrates are 12 mg/l. I have a heavily planted vision 450 and find that my water parameters stay stable for 2 months without doing a water change. So I'm not sure what the problem is. Maybe it's just high light, or possibly the phosphate which I haven't tested (not even sure if I have the test kit for this).

And about the zebra snail, I don't really want to take the risk...

 

[west-megaman]

Here are the pictures:
http/i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/megaman111/Image0220.jpg?t=1276380115
http/i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/megaman111/Image0221.jpg?t=1276380287
http/i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/megaman111/Image0223.jpg?t=1276380366

As you can see in the first pic, the anubias leaves have dar brown algae on them and the SAE decides to rest on a clean leaf instead of eating the algae!

Please excuse the crap pictures, I took them with my mobile phone because I don't have my camera atm.

 

[Gaz_S]

That site will help you out some great information on there it could be your phosphates. Brown algae grows in low light conditions so it may not be your lights. No i wouldnt bother if you have the SAEs best off trying to prevent it rather than buying more algae eaters. What a pain eh!?

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/algae.htm

 

[anshuman]

I like your SAE, they are like . "WHAT?....WE REST AND WE CHILL, ITS HOW WE ROLL." they are not eating tht stuff . heh.


I guess you are better of removing the leaves , making sure your tank has proper Co2 source and ferts and your new leaves will be healthy.

Personally i dont mind 1 or 2 brown leaves etc as long as my entire tank is healthy and green.

 

[RadaR]

That site will help you out some great information on there it could be your phosphates. Brown algae grows in low light conditions so it may not be your lights. No i wouldnt bother if you have the SAEs best off trying to prevent it rather than buying more algae eaters. What a pain eh!?

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/algae.htm

That link is for non-planted tanks.
Planted tanks need phosphates. They do not cause algae.
Find the cause of the algae and correct it rather than finding a fish to get rid of it. Why? Because it can always come back if the underlying cause isn't treated.

 

[west-megaman]

The problem is I can't determine what the source is. I also stopped using Co2 because I personally find it is not worth it and it jacks up costs. And my plants are fine without Co2, the only problem is this algae. I do fertilize my plants every two weeks.

 

[RadaR]

The problem is I can't determine what the source is. I also stopped using Co2 because I personally find it is not worth it and it jacks up costs. And my plants are fine without Co2, the only problem is this algae. I do fertilize my plants every two weeks.

They're clearly not ok because you have algae. Looks like you are lacking nutrients. But the green spot algae could also indicate not enough CO2.
It's a Vision 450 right? What lighting do you have? The t5 lighting?

 

[ian]

The problem is I can't determine what the source is. I also stopped using Co2 because I personally find it is not worth it and it jacks up costs. And my plants are fine without Co2, the only problem is this algae. I do fertilize my plants every two weeks.

This may be your problem, did it appear when you stopped using the c02? Fluctuations of c02 are also a cause of algea.