In ble.rogers.com,
"Marvin Hlavac" empowered us with this mighty
blow against the Patriarchy:

Hi everyone,

Would you mind sharing how many are in your clean up crew?

For algae eaters, I have only a flagfish (Jordanella floridae) and an oto.
I have a small amount of beard algae, which I personally don't mind
(actually my cherry barbs pick at it a bit). I have some black beard algae
which I find I can reduce by making sure I prune back plants at the surface
to let in more light, and remember to fertilize regularly.

This is in a 29gal heavily planted tank with 65 watts light and DIY CO2
injection.

From: "Marvin Hlavac"

Would you mind sharing how many are in your clean up crew?

Marvin, I have 9 SAE's, about 25 otto's, 2 American Flag Fish, 4 P. bridgesi
apple snails in a 125 gallon.
I'd love to get some Amano shrimp and am thinking about getting a bristle nose
pleco.
The only algae's I have is a strange "hair algae on the gravel that resembles a
miniture Java Moss but it's not a problem, the BGA is-I can get rid of it but
it comes back after a few weeks (sigh).

Keith Moore

72 gallon bowfront, heavily planted, CO2 injected.

5 Otos
3 large SAEs
2 adult and some juvenile Ancristrus sp. bushynose catfish
10+ amano shrimp

Otos seem to thrive for a while, then die when their food runs out. I think I may
have broken that cycle by occasionally feeding Pleco Passion seaweed treat along
with the zuchini for my bushynose. The Otos seem to eat that and live longer.

Thanks Billy, N8, Leigh, Dave, Keith, Dave, Ross, Jeff, Bruce,

The reason I posted the question was that a few days earlier green hair algae
started to develop on the leaves of my sword plants. At first I ignored it but a
few days later it was obvious an action needed to be taken.

It that time I only had some older Otto's. Algae developed even though the
Otto's were present in the aquarium. I went to Big Al's and got 4 young 1 inch
long SAE's. They helped extremely fast. 48 hours later about 50% of algae was
gone and 72 hours after SAE's were introduced to the aquarium about 90% of the
problem has been solved.

The only question now is: do we really need Otto's? Is there something they do
SAE's cannot do?

thanks,
Marvin

in article ogers.com,
Marvin Hlavac at am wrote on 10/22/02 7:04 PM:

Hi everyone,

Would you mind sharing how many are in your clean up crew? I think it would be
educational especially for us with not so many years of experience. I'd like
to
find out what your aquarium size is and how many Ottocat's, SAE's, Amano
Shrimps
etc. you use?

In my 360L (90g) I have 4 SAE (I'll be buying more), 3 Otto's (not enough). My
algae eating shrimps are being eaten by my new Discus so I will have to
consider
some other alternative, perhaps a corry (suggestion please)?

Are there any useful rules of thumb here?

Thanks,
Marvin


Otos; 1-3 per 5 gallons
SAE: 1 per 20 gallons
Amano Shrimp : as many as I can afford
Singapore Shrimp: no more than 2 per tank

This is how I set up my 120s.
big D
--
Remove the word ³REMOVE² to reply to me.

Check out my fish site @
http://homepage.mac.com/tx_longhorn/ddaquaria/

Or just a whole lot of macro and aquarium pictures @
http://homepage.mac.com/ddaquaria/

"ddaquaria" wrote

Otos; 1-3 per 5 gallons
SAE: 1 per 20 gallons
Amano Shrimp : as many as I can afford
Singapore Shrimp: no more than 2 per tank

This is how I set up my 120s.
big D


Hi big D

I'm contemplating not keeping Otto's in the future. Instead I plant to have
SAE's only. Many people however like to keep both. Do you think Otto's can serve
some purpose even though SAE's are in your tank already?

Marvin

in article gers.com,
Marvin Hlavac at am wrote on 10/24/02 8:39 PM:


"ddaquaria" wrote

Otos; 1-3 per 5 gallons
SAE: 1 per 20 gallons
Amano Shrimp : as many as I can afford
Singapore Shrimp: no more than 2 per tank

This is how I set up my 120s.
big D


Hi big D

I'm contemplating not keeping Otto's in the future. Instead I plant to have
SAE's only. Many people however like to keep both. Do you think Otto's can
serve
some purpose even though SAE's are in your tank already?

Marvin


I use SAE to control black brush or any other weird hard to get rid of
algae. I use Otos as my cleaning crew for soft algae. I have over 450W
running each 120Gal, and the only algaes that are in my tank is green spot
on the glass and black spot in directly lit areas. Therefore I can only
conclude that my cleaning crew is doing its job - as well as I'm doing my
job keeping the tank in balance.

I think Otos do serve a purpose, but since they eat so little you just don't
notice sometimes. If you replaced otos with some type of algae eating plxco
then I could understand. I don't use plxcs in my plant tanks since everyone
of them has eaten my swords. (please no responses with "my plxco doesn't
eat my swords" or "do you have any driftwood in the tank for them" -
Remember mileage may vary)

Hope that helps a little.


big D
--
Remove the word ³REMOVE² to reply to me.

Check out my fish site @
http://homepage.mac.com/tx_longhorn/ddaquaria/

Or just a whole lot of macro and aquarium pictures @
http://homepage.mac.com/ddaquaria/

Singapore Shrimp: no more than 2 per tank

Why no more than 2 per tank?

Singapore shrimp seem to be extremely social creatures. They hang out together
in "schools." (Or whatever you call groups of shrimp!) IME, the more, the
merrier. (I try to avoid keeping them singly.)


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Xref: 127.0.0.1 rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants:65540

The only question now is: do we really need Otto's? Is there something they
do
SAE's cannot do?

IME, they eat different kinds of algae. SAEs eat mostly filamentous algae.
(They don't have sucker mouths, so can't suck algae off the glass like otos,
pl*cos, etc., can.) Otos like "flat" algae: the kind that grows on the glass,
or flat on the leaves of plants.

The otos' small size allows them to perch on delicate leaves and clean them of
algae, when larger fish like pl*cos cannot.
A good replacement for otos are snails. They eat the same type of algae, and,
like otos, can clean the most delicate leaves of algae without harming them.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

in article , LeighMo at
oSpam wrote on 10/25/02 5:47 AM:

Singapore Shrimp: no more than 2 per tank

Why no more than 2 per tank?

Singapore shrimp seem to be extremely social creatures. They hang out
together
in "schools." (Or whatever you call groups of shrimp!) IME, the more, the
merrier. (I try to avoid keeping them singly.)


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/
That is just my magic number for Singapore shrimp. They look good in the
tank, but they don't seem to do a lot of work. Around here singapore shrimp
are $8+ each, and I would rather put that towards more otos (Smile).


--
Remove the word ³REMOVE² to reply to me.

Check out my fish site @
http://homepage.mac.com/tx_longhorn/ddaquaria/

Or just a whole lot of macro and aquarium pictures @
http://homepage.mac.com/ddaquaria/

That is just my magic number for Singapore shrimp. They look good in the
tank, but they don't seem to do a lot of work. Around here singapore shrimp
are $8+ each, and I would rather put that towards more otos (Smile).

Understood! They are about $6 each here, but still awfully pricey.

I don't keep them as algae eaters or scavengers. I keep them because they are
cool critters! g

Someone here was saying their singapore shrimp bred in the tank. I wish mine
would. Then I'd have lots of them, without going broke.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
The only question now is: do we really need Otto's? Is there something they
do
SAE's cannot do?

IME, they eat different kinds of algae. SAEs eat mostly filamentous algae.
(They don't have sucker mouths, so can't suck algae off the glass like otos,
pl*cos, etc., can.) Otos like "flat" algae: the kind that grows on the glass,
or flat on the leaves of plants.

The otos' small size allows them to perch on delicate leaves and clean them of
algae, when larger fish like pl*cos cannot.
A good replacement for otos are snails. They eat the same type of algae, and,
like otos, can clean the most delicate leaves of algae without harming them.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



....in that case I'd better keep some otto's. I do have the green on side walls.
It doesn't bother me much though at this point. All other algae is under
control, knock on the wood. (now watch for my algae question tomorrow ;-)

Marvin

Leigh,

I looked into this recently, getting snails to cover for the Ottos,
and from what all I could read/find, snails would most likely destroy
my plants.

I'd still be very interested in a snail or two *IF* I could be
positive that my plants would be safe.

OH.....3 Ottos and 1 SAE (5 gal. soon to be replaced by 10gal)

Chris


On 25 Oct 2002 10:58:05 GMT, oSpam (LeighMo) wrote:

The only question now is: do we really need Otto's? Is there something they
do
SAE's cannot do?

IME, they eat different kinds of algae. SAEs eat mostly filamentous algae.
(They don't have sucker mouths, so can't suck algae off the glass like otos,
pl*cos, etc., can.) Otos like "flat" algae: the kind that grows on the glass,
or flat on the leaves of plants.

The otos' small size allows them to perch on delicate leaves and clean them of
algae, when larger fish like pl*cos cannot.
A good replacement for otos are snails. They eat the same type of algae, and,
like otos, can clean the most delicate leaves of algae without harming them.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



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Could you remcomend a non-common type that is a non-plant eater and
also is not a-sexual?
I'd still like to have one as long as it leaves the plants alone and
doesn't multiply.

Thanks tho!

Chris


On 27 Nov 2002 21:35:43 GMT, oSpam (LeighMo) wrote:

I looked into this recently, getting snails to cover for the Ottos,
and from what all I could read/find, snails would most likely destroy
my plants.

That has not been my experience. I've got a variety of snails in my tanks, and
they don't eat my plants.

There are some snails that eat plants, and should be avoided. Most species of
apple/mystery snails -- except Pomacea bridgesii, the spike-topped apple snail
-- can't be trusted with plants. Columbian ramshorns (the ones that grow to be
1" across) are also plant-eaters. But the others commonly found in aquariums
prefer algae and leftover fishfood.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/



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Thanks for that info.

Is this particular species of apple snail common enough that I shoud
be able to find one in a local store?

Chris



Pomacea bridgesii



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