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What Would You Recommend?

Started by Guest_tglassburner_* , Nov 12 2007 01:07 PM

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23 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:07 PM

What would you recommend to eat algae, that:
a. stays smallish ~4" or less
b. withstands high current
c. won't eat my darters

TIA

Tom

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#2 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:12 PM

Among NA natives, stonerollers are your best bet. They don't eat all algaes, but nothing does. They're especially effective against any kind of diatom "slimes". Flagfish are good too, if you're keeping a warmwater tank.

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#3 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:13 PM

Algae like green hair algae or slimy blue green bacteria on the glass?
What about a Chinese algae eater? It doesn't have to be a 100% native tank right? Strictly for helping out with the cosmetics that is a good choice. No native fish really fits multipe parts of your criteria. Stonerollers get large and they're going to eat whatever you put in for the darters much more frequently than any natural plant matieral.

Someone hasn't developed a dwarf grass carp yet have they? :grin:

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#4 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:22 PM

Among NA natives, stonerollers are your best bet. They don't eat all algaes, but nothing does. They're especially effective against any kind of diatom "slimes". Flagfish are good too, if you're keeping a warmwater tank.

Can flagfish handle high current? Needs to be able to handle my darter tank.

Algae like green hair algae or slimy blue green bacteria on the glass?
What about a Chinese algae eater? It doesn't have to be a 100% native tank right? Strictly for helping out with the cosmetics that is a good choice. No native fish really fits multipe parts of your criteria. Stonerollers get large and they're going to eat whatever you put in for the darters much more frequently than any natural plant matieral.

Someone hasn't developed a dwarf grass carp yet have they?

It looks like green hair algae, but it is brown. Not BBA not a slime. native preferred, but not required.
There are no plants in this tank.

The only other requirement should be:
d: is easily obtainable. I was thinking pleco, but they get too big and I already have 2 ~12" plecos

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#5 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:24 PM

I'll second the stonerollers. They do get kinda biggish but takes some time to do so. They are pretty good about eating the algae, love current, and won't eat darters. Matt is right though that they will eat whatever you feed your darters but I still do find mine grazing.

CAEs get aggressive don't they as they age. And slowly stop eating algae if I remember correctly?

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#6 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:36 PM

I'll second the stonerollers. They do get kinda biggish but takes some time to do so. They are pretty good about eating the algae, love current, and won't eat darters. Matt is right though that they will eat whatever you feed your darters but I still do find mine grazing.

CAEs get aggressive don't they as they age. And slowly stop eating algae if I remember correctly?

That's what I read about them eventually they stop eating algae.

All the stonerollers I find are already too large.

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#7 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:37 PM

More aggressive than a 4+" stoneroller though? For my money (i.e. the amount of food the stonerollers would eat) CAE would be the better bet to accomplish the goals. The flagfish couldn't handle the currents and lack of cover.

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#8 Guest_hmt321_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 01:59 PM

sailfin molly's?

not sure how much current you are talking about though

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#9 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 02:05 PM

sailfin molly's?

not sure how much current you are talking about though

http://www.youtube.c...C85jKpHwY&rel=1 See for yourself!

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#10 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 05:20 PM

Tom,
The brown slime is most likely diatoms. Are you looking to remove it from the rocks, or just the glass? I find that diatoms wipe off the glass exceptionally easily, and I don't worry about it on the rocks.

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#11 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 08:45 PM

Tom,
The brown slime is most likely diatoms. Are you looking to remove it from the rocks, or just the glass? I find that diatoms wipe off the glass exceptionally easily, and I don't worry about it on the rocks.

I use a magfloat for glass it's not that I mind algae, it actually adds character, I just figured some fish might like to fill the algae position in my stream tank.

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#12 Guest_Kanus_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 10:47 AM

I'd try some snails, but I also like inverts. A lot.

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#13 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 10:58 AM

I'd try some snails, but I also like inverts. A lot.

I add about 50 MTS a week- greenside darters love snails.

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#14 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 12:14 PM

I use a magfloat for glass it's not that I mind algae, it actually adds character, I just figured some fish might like to fill the algae position in my stream tank.

Gotcha.

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#15 Guest_hmt321_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 01:15 PM

what about olive nerites?

I have several in each of my tanks.

the best part is that the eggs they lay will not hatch out in fresh water tanks, there was a AC article about them about a year ago.

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#16 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 01:36 PM

the best part is that the eggs they lay will not hatch out in fresh water tanks

The eggs won't hatch but they sure lay lots of them! Just about as hard to get of the glass as algae :tongue:

I do like my olive nerites since they assure algae free tanks.

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#17 Guest_Graum_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 02:38 PM

Nice thread guys.

I live in South Louisiana and I need to find some stonerollers.
Would I have to go catch them myself (imagine the luck) or does anyone know of a good place to buy them?

As you probably inferred, I have a slight algae problem and I don't want to use the algaecide just yet. I want to keep it natural.

Thanks.

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#18 Guest_scottefontay_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 03:17 PM

As you probably inferred, I have a slight algae problem and I don't want to use the algaecide just yet. I want to keep it natural.

Step up water changes and decrease light a bit?

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#19 Guest_fishlvr_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 04:39 PM

Nice thread guys.

I live in South Louisiana and I need to find some stonerollers.
Would I have to go catch them myself (imagine the luck) or does anyone know of a good place to buy them?

As you probably inferred, I have a slight algae problem and I don't want to use the algaecide just yet. I want to keep it natural.

Thanks.

I'm going collecting in a few weeks. I'm going to be looking for a few stonerollers myself. These will be largescale stonerollers, though, so I don't know if they have different habits than centrals. I think www.aquaculturestore.com, www.btdarters.com, or www.jonahsaquarium.com have them. Haven't checked in a while.

Edit: Just checked. Apparently only Jonah's Aquarium currently has them available. But if you want me to get you some largescale stonerollers, let me know. You will have to pay for shipping though.

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#20 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 13 November 2007 - 04:57 PM

Nice thread guys.

I live in South Louisiana and I need to find some stonerollers.
Would I have to go catch them myself (imagine the luck) or does anyone know of a good place to buy them?

As you probably inferred, I have a slight algae problem and I don't want to use the algaecide just yet. I want to keep it natural.

Thanks.