Brown stuff on plant leaves

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pitufo

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Jul 5, 2004
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Hi I am brand new to fishkeeping, I have a 33 Gal. Hagen starter kit and i put an undergravel filter with powerhead in it. The tank has been running for about 2-3 weeks and last week we bought a few plants. I wish I could tell you what kind they are. When we bought them they had what I thought was brown spots on the leaves but they have been getting bigger over the last week. I removed a leaf to take a closer look and I found that the brown spots rub off easily. Is this algae? Is it harmful? What should I do? P.S. the patches are only on the top of the leaves.
 

jamjarjames

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May 31, 2004
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yep sounds like algae, it comes in so many colours so don't be surprised if you see wierd looking stuff. The reason they are only growing on the top is because that is where the light is. Read the algae busting tips on this page for ideas.
 

pitufo

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Thanks! I will see if those algae eaters are compatible with my fish I have so far. (4 Zebra Danios, 3 small Angelfish and 2 Rainbowfish.) I was hoping to get a couple of sharks and some more danios and some catfish but I don't want to get too excited and overcrowd the tank. What other kinds of fish eat algae?
 

happychem

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Dec 9, 2003
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You were told wrong buddy! ;)

Ever since I added snails to my aquariums, I'll never go back. They only multiply based on how dirty your tank is, i.e. how much food is available. They really help to keep things clean by eating algae, fish wastes, uneaten food.

Snails are the ultimate scavenger for aquaria because, IMO, they're a little lower on the life complexity scale than fish, so they make use of stuff that even scavenger fish won't touch, like fish wastes.

The trick is to get the right kind of snail to suit your tank. If you've got no plants, you're in the clear. But if you do have live plants, better to get something that won't eat them.
 

TPIRman

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Why is it that whenever someone on the forums asks about brown algae, our first response is to buy more animals? Pitufo, brown algae is not dangerous, is common to new tanks, and usually fades away over time. The easiest way to get rid of it in the meantime is -- as you've discovered -- to rub it off with your thumb. If it starts growing on the glass, use a razor blade or a magnetized scraper (they likely sell these at your LFS -- look for "Mag-Float") to get it off. It'll probably take a few minutes, twice a week, if that.

Otos are wonderful, but you have to consider whether they fit into your eventual stocking plan or not, whether you want to take care of this type of fish, etc. Unless you have a densely-planted tank, I wouldn't buy otos just to keep brown algae in check, because brown algae dies down as a tank is established, and it's so easy to take care of yourself.

That said, otos are compatible with your current tank residents if you are interested in getting them. Check out http://www.otocinclus.com/ for information on otocinclus care.

I agree with happychem that snails are excellent tank residents -- they are too often maligned on the boards. Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) are a good "starter" snail, and your LFS should give you some for free if they have them. Don't expect them to tackle your brown algae all on their own -- they'll make a dent in it, but won't eliminate it -- but they are beneficial for all the reasons that happychem mentioned. They're also valuable because they burrow through the gravel and help prevent anaerobic pockets from forming in your substrate.

HTH,
John
 

pitufo

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hmm, thank you all for the advice! So the Malaysian snails don't multiply quickly? How big are they? The reason I ask is because I think I read something about snails saying how they can be a problem when the die if you don't find them soon enough.
 

kikuchiyo

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May 9, 2004
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I agree with TPIR, adding animals just to do a job in the aquarium is bad fishkeeping and I've said so the last few times I've seen such posts.

That said, snails don't techincally eat fish waste. They are still animals and can't subsit on waste itself. However, they will consume fish droppings because they often still have quite a bit of fish food in them (fish don't store extra food, it gets passed right out). They don't subsist on the waste part.
 
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