will the SAE eat my plants?

[pennylinx]

will a SAE eat any of my plants such as glossostigma, water wysteria, java fern, anubia, or marimo moss?

[fishcatch22]

i've heard of them eating marimo balls, but most likely if you feed them enough, they won't try and eat your plants.

[fresh_newby]

Marimo balls are cladaphora algae, so an SAE would certainly go after that....otherwise, they are great with all other plants and will keep them squeaky clean~

[$eaba$$]

Not to hijack thread, but are they better algae eaters that oto's?

[pennylinx]

thanks, I have a huge outbreak of hair algae from the dang java moss that I hurriedly added to my tank... what a mistake. The algae is taking over so fast that it has already made my anubias fuzzy and the covered the side of the tank with undulating strands. I am going to try to get a sae from my LFS but there are no promises from them. I was thinking about getting an oto, since the algae is relatively short and was wondering if the oto would be able to chow on this algae or not, and if so would they destroy any of my plants that I have listed including the marimo moss?

[fishcatch22]

thanks, I have a huge outbreak of hair algae from the dang java moss that I hurriedly added to my tank... what a mistake. The algae is taking over so fast that it has already made my anubias fuzzy and the covered the side of the tank with undulating strands. I am going to try to get a sae from my LFS but there are no promises from them. I was thinking about getting an oto, since the algae is relatively short and was wondering if the oto would be able to chow on this algae or not, and if so would they destroy any of my plants that I have listed including the marimo moss?they sure will eat the algae! get at least 2 otos.

[fresh_newby]

thanks, I have a huge outbreak of hair algae from the dang java moss that I hurriedly added to my tank... what a mistake. The algae is taking over so fast that it has already made my anubias fuzzy and the covered the side of the tank with undulating strands. I am going to try to get a sae from my LFS but there are no promises from them. I was thinking about getting an oto, since the algae is relatively short and was wondering if the oto would be able to chow on this algae or not, and if so would they destroy any of my plants that I have listed including the marimo moss?

no...your hair algae is not because of the java moss you added.....you will never get algae outbreaks for adding plants. Since I saw your fert schedule in another thread, it is clearly because you are dosing too much Iron and no macros. If you feel the need to dose Iron and Flouish, drop down to once a month with the iron and add NO3 and PO4. Get the fert schedule up to par, clean out and prune, and spot treat with excel. You will continue to get it unless you get your dosing right.
In the meantime, the best hair eaters IMO are Amano shrimp. They do a number on it!

[pennylinx]

ooh, then Ill have to try to get some amanos. I think though the algae did come in on the moss since it was packed full of hairy filamentous strands that are very visible to the eye, I stupidly put the moss in thinking it was "baby" java moss... gosh what a stupid mistake.
heres a pic of what it looked like the first day when I put it in:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/pennylinx/IMG_0449.jpg

The darker green stuff that is located in the moss is definitely hairy and filamentous. It may be hard to see it in the pic and may appear to be mearly shadows, but in fact is thick clumps of hair algae.

[fishcatch22]

In the meantime, the best hair eaters IMO are Amano shrimp. They do a number on it!true... but i've actually seem ghost shrimp do it, and they're a whole lot cheaper.

[pennylinx]

cant wait to get some of the otos, do you think they will eat this type of algae fishcatch?

[fishcatch22]

cant wait to get some of the otos, do you think they will eat this type of algae fishcatch?yep... mine does a good job on my hair algae. yuo should also try amano shrimp.

[pennylinx]

thats great news to hear I cant wait to get one. :)

[fishcatch22]

thats great news to hear I cant wait to get one. :)don't just get one.. they need at least 1 friend, so get at least 2, 3 is better.

[Porter10]

In my 75 gallon, I have 6 ottos, 4 SAEs and 2 Farowellas. They do a great job..... FYI ... I recommend you buy several Ottos

[fresh_newby]

If you get Amanos..the more you get, the better.

Again, address those dosing issues.

[midiamin]

Sorry! Didn't mean to post here but interesting discussion.

[Blueiz]

Sorry! Didn't mean to post here but interesting discussion.

No need to be sorry.. all in good discussion..:)

Blue

[TwoTankAmin]

Otos basically eat soft green algae and the microrganisms living in it and diatoms - they will take these from any surface. However, the true SAE is still the best all around algae eater in terms of varieties.

Algae eating plecos are another choice, however these normally don't eat hair algae.

[pennylinx]

great info, I got 4 otos yesturday and am quarentining them right now I cant wait to put them in the tank with the algae it seems to be getting longer strands each day. Its pretty much taking over.

[fresh_newby]

penny, you have to physically take off as much as you can and prune. Stop doing the iron, and don't be too surprised if the otos don't do a that great a job on it since hair algae is not their meal of choice. Amanos do the best job...and spot treating with excel in a syringe, bot none of it is doable unless you get things in balance and clean off as much as you can yourself.

[pennylinx]

yes, I have added 2 otos by now and intend to clean the algae manually soon. When you say spot clean with excel, do you mean that putting a bit of the excel onto the algae will kill it ?

[fresh_newby]

if you can get hold of a plastic syringe, put a little in it and shoot it on tough areas, like in moss, where you cannot manually clean it out. The moss will look like yuck for a few days, but will bounce back, and algae eaters love the dead stuff...

[pennylinx]

I have located a store that sells amano and SAE, what a find and it is only about an hr away. I plan on getting some amano shrimp but may hold off on getting some of those SAEs b/c I may only a 2.5 gal tank that is capable of growing algae and the SAE would grow much too large for the small tank. Amanos seem to be a good alternative and will me good for my tank. Do you think that the amanos will eat the marimo algae? or any of the other plants?

[fishcatch22]

I have located a store that sells amano and SAE, what a find and it is only about an hr away. I plan on getting some amano shrimp but may hold off on getting some of those SAEs b/c I may only a 2.5 gal tank that is capable of growing algae and the SAE would grow much too large for the small tank. Amanos seem to be a good alternative and will me good for my tank. Do you think that the amanos will eat the marimo algae? or any of the other plants?the amanos will not eat living plants, but like the SAEs I wouldn't trust them with the marimo balls.

[pennylinx]

k thanks, everyone seems to be after those fuzzy little algae balls. I will have to put them in another tank they are my fav. plants so far. Seems like the only ones who can keep a steady dark green.

[ColinJ]

I have Amano and cherry shrimp in with Marimo balls without an issue. They keep them quite clean, but the balls seem to be growing...

[pennylinx]

Thats great news colin, I am planning on getting some amanos in the near future. Im really glad that the amanos wont eat this type of algae. :)