View Full Version : Brackish Algae Eater
headcougar
07-11-2007, 2:39 PM
I wondering if anyone knew of a good brackish water algae eater. I have two apple snails in a 55 gallon tank but they aren't doing the job. They had survived for some time but need some genuine help.
Thanks in advance.
The brackish tank is the 55 gallon from my signature block.
Ruben Tolon
07-11-2007, 10:50 PM
a trusty algae scrubber is always a better idea than adding to the bioload for the sole purpose of algae removal.
Sir Pufferfish
07-12-2007, 6:43 AM
I believe apple snails are only suitable for freshwater.
the only snails that will survive in brackish water are Nerite snails but if you
have algae problem as most people with b tanks does, dont expect them to be the solution.
Mollies also eat algea but again, they wont keep algae at bay.
If your salinity is low, try filling the tank with vallis / or jarva fern plants to combat the algea or reduce the amount of time the light is on,
people also swear that turning the light on for a few hours then off for one hour, then repeating process also stops algae growth ( something to do with stoping photosynthesis ) but i personally never tried that.
Convicts in a brackish tank?
vampie
07-12-2007, 8:04 AM
I've heard of people successfully keeping certain apple snails in brackish, but I've never done it myself. Mystery and Giant Ramshorns are the ones I've heard about. MTS can also live in brackish water (and even saltwater I believe), but their algae-eating capability are limited.
At lower salinities, you could add plants. If it's on the higher end, you can look into some marine inverts.
Pufferpunk
07-12-2007, 10:34 AM
As far as I know, FW snails like apples, will get burned by salt, just like you put salt on a leech (ever did that when you were little?). Looking at your tank inhabitants, you are mixing tropical BW, FW & coldwater fish. You really need 3 different tanks for those. You should house ther goldfish alone. That tank is overstocked. I would imagine if your snails are still alive, there isn't enough salt in the water to make it brackish. Eventually, the Columbian sharks will need a much bigger tank. The needlefish will eventually get eaten by the gobies or Colmbian sharks.
severum mama
07-13-2007, 12:26 PM
Are you even using marine salt for this "brackish" tank? Aquarium salt does not make a tank brackish.
IMO you need at least 4 tanks to house what you have... the African cichlids have absolutely no business in a 20 gallon, and especially not with any other fish. The goldfish alone is too much for a 20, and should not be kept in a tropical tank. Convicts are not BW fish. Columbian sharks get huge. I'll just stop there and say I agree with everyone else. In the future, please research fish before you purchase them.
headcougar
07-13-2007, 3:34 PM
LOL. Well considering the newest inhabitant is three months old and the Africans have been co-located with the Goldfish for over a year. I would say not all rules are hard rules.
I have two extremely happy families with zero (0) loss in two and a half years. I think the Africans are due a new home and definitely consult this forum when setting up that new tank.
Given some thought, I believe the no new bioload to combat algae comment rings true with me and I will vary light input and use my brush on a more frequent basis.
Thank you for all the comments. I don't take the comments about the mixing lightly as I believe everyone has the welfare of my babies in mind.
Convicts in a brackish tank?
Good call. Best not to place them in brackish conditions. Also, note that cons tend to be very belligerent and the other fish will not tolerate being harassed.
Ruben Tolon
07-19-2007, 9:59 PM
other than the columbian sharks, the 55 gallon tank might as well be converted back to freshwater rather than brackish.
Dwarf Puffers
07-20-2007, 6:28 AM
other than the columbian sharks, the 55 gallon tank might as well be converted back to freshwater rather than brackish.
Why...?
Btw, headcouger, just because it "looks" fine, doesn't mean it is. Someone can say that a betta in a glass cup is healthy, they might even say thriving, but what is he really? Surviving. Barely. And he won't get near 5 years. More likely 5 weeks in that.
Your cons are not brackish fish. Stop killing fish and snails, please. It would be appreciated. Bye-bye harlies to a new tank, with oh, say, 5 others? And those columbians will get 18" and eat as much as you do, and almost any fish short of a tankbuster they're kept with. The goldfish can't stay in that tank. Remove it, you're fish deffinately don't appreciate on OS tank and poorly stocked tank.
Ruben Tolon
07-20-2007, 12:52 PM
Why...?.
If headcougar were to remove the sharks, the rest of the stock list (I'm not sure about the gobies, I'll admit) doesn't need to be kept in brackish water, so you might as well keep it as freshwater.
sixpack_ey
07-22-2007, 3:18 PM
I have NEVER had a problem with algae in my brackish tank, and I have pretty strong lighting- almost 2 watts per gallon. I have about 12 olive nerite snails I ordered from AZ gardens. I guess they keep the algae under control. http://www.azgardens.com/aquarium_snails.php
(sorry to get off the subject at hand, but the thread was originally about algae, so I thought I'd chime in.)