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Good thread algae eater for 15 gallon tank with live plants - Correction it's fuzz
Oops, just realized that I said thread algae when in fact I have fuzz algae!
"Michael" wrote in message ... I just set up my tank 1 week ago and put in 3 kinds of plants that my friend gave me. Unfortunately they had some thread algae on them (he has it pretty bad) and now it's growing in my tank. Some of the leaves are already dying so I'd like to get something that can eat the algae. Most of the plants have small leaves, nothing broad like the Amazon Sword. So I'm not sure what type of fish to get to eat thread algae on small leave plants. Also I have a 15 gallon so I don't have a lot of room. I did quite a bit of reading but it's still not clear. I read Ottos are good but can they eat algae off small leaves?? I've read SAE work well but they're too big for a 15 gallon. I've read Amano Shrimp will eat it, but I don't think my LSF has those (never saw them before). What about Ghost Shrimp? Finally I read people have good results with Apple Snails (Pomacea bridgesii) but I'm pretty sure my leaves are too small and flimsy to support their weight. I was hoping to go 1 month before adding fish but I don't think I can wait that long without losing my plants. I've had my filter running in my friend's tank for 1 week and I will put it in my tank today, so hopefully the filter will be full of bacteria. Will that allow me to add an algae eater right away? Thanks, Michael |
#2
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Good thread algae eater for 15 gallon tank with live plants - Correction it's fuzz
Oops, just realized that I said thread algae when in fact I have fuzz algae!
"Michael" wrote in message ... I just set up my tank 1 week ago and put in 3 kinds of plants that my friend gave me. Unfortunately they had some thread algae on them (he has it pretty bad) and now it's growing in my tank. Some of the leaves are already dying so I'd like to get something that can eat the algae. Most of the plants have small leaves, nothing broad like the Amazon Sword. So I'm not sure what type of fish to get to eat thread algae on small leave plants. Also I have a 15 gallon so I don't have a lot of room. I did quite a bit of reading but it's still not clear. I read Ottos are good but can they eat algae off small leaves?? I've read SAE work well but they're too big for a 15 gallon. I've read Amano Shrimp will eat it, but I don't think my LSF has those (never saw them before). What about Ghost Shrimp? Finally I read people have good results with Apple Snails (Pomacea bridgesii) but I'm pretty sure my leaves are too small and flimsy to support their weight. I was hoping to go 1 month before adding fish but I don't think I can wait that long without losing my plants. I've had my filter running in my friend's tank for 1 week and I will put it in my tank today, so hopefully the filter will be full of bacteria. Will that allow me to add an algae eater right away? Thanks, Michael |
#3
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Good thread algae eater for 15 gallon tank with live plants - Correction it's fuzz
"Michael" wrote in message ... Oops, just realized that I said thread algae when in fact I have fuzz algae! Fuzz algae (also sometimes called pelt algae or fur algae) is oedogonium. It is among the most difficult algae to control: it spreads very fast; it is attached very firmly to plant leaves and so can not be removed mechanically; and it withstands light or nutrient deprivation very well. Otos and SAEs will both help in reducing its spread by eating the shorter strands on newly infested leaves. You should yourself remove the most infested leaves right away. If your LFS has small SAEs, maybe you can ask if you can buy two of them and bring them back in a year or so. Beware of the false SAEs. Good plant growth and no excess nitrates (keeping it in the 3-5ppm range) will also help control the infestation but might not be sufficient for the eradication of oedogonium. Since oedogonium is such a calamity and you don't yet have fish or a live filter in your tank, maybe you'd like to use the peroxide treatment. You can use the common 3% oxygen peroxide solution commonly found in drugstores. Something like 2 ounce per 10 gallon every day for just a few days might lead to the total eradication of oedogonium with little damage to the plants. The fine hair will turn white and slowly melt away. The stuff breaks down pretty fast in aquaria so you can add the filter 24 hours after the last dosing and some fish shortly thereafter. Don't add otos right away for they will starve to death without algae and they are very picky on food. SAEs will eat anything you give them. |
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