Hair Algae

[ddayton21]

hey guys

I know I read a post on here already but I have searched and can't find it.

My question is what is best suited for consuming hairlike algae?

I know Ottos eat diatoms but how are they with hair algae? I prefer them due to their personality and minimal impact on the bioload.

thanks a bunch!

 

[Aqualung]

Otos won't do anything for a hair algae bloom. What you should do is figure out what is causing it and then try to correct the problem. My guess is that there is an excess of nutrients, light, or both.

There are some types of shrimp that will eat the stuff, but don't rely on them to correct the problem. They can help to keep the algae from taking hold again once you get a handle on things though.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Agree w/ Aqualung. However, if you do take some of your fish back to the store, try some Rosy barbs...they're known to eat the stuff.

 

[ddayton21]

I will probly get some shrimp to help keep things tidy but I won't rely on them to fix my algae problem.

Thanks for the help

 

[Patricia]

Agree w/ Aqualung. However, if you do take some of your fish back to the store, try some Rosy barbs...they're known to eat the stuff.

For what it's worth, so do Gold Barbs ... I have that short fuzzy hair algae on my Vallisneria, and I've been watching the Golds and Roseys grazing for over an hour this morning. One of the Otocinclus was sprawled on a Val leaf trying to get a nibble, too. (One of the drawbacks of fishkeeping is that less of the general housework seems to get done ... ah well, I did some laundry, and the dishes are soaking ... that's enough to justify an hour of tank-gazing!)



Patricia

 

[jec0995]

My question is what is best suited for consuming hairlike algae?

Siamensis algae eaters are the only fish i know that will continually eat hair or beard algae. Be careful though, they look very similar to chinese algae eaters (which won't eat beard algae) and even LFS sell them incorrectly labeled. They don't get too big (4+ inches) but do best in groups. I have one and he definitely took care of the algae...so did making my tank fully planted. Good luck with the algae.

I agree with the above members though...find the root of the problem.

 

[Raithan Ellis]

One suggestion... Ameca splendens. However these active livebearers (butterfly goodeid) do best in a species only tank with perhaps some clean up crew. They are a bit fin nippy. They will eat almost any algae you throw at them, including cyano.

 

[ddayton21]

if theyre nippy then thats a no-go. I haven't the slightest clue what caused the hair algae but it seems to be subsiding to some extent.

 

[Aqualung]

Is the tank planted, and if so do you have a lot of stem plants?

Whether it's planted or not I would recommend manual removal of the algae combined with increased water changes. I was away from my tanks for the majority of two months, and when I returned I had a serious hair algae problem. My girlfriend was taking care of the tanks, but I assume she slacked off a bit on the water changes and probably overfed the fish too. I did the equivelant of a 200% water change over the course of two days (about a 50% change each time), and added a full dose of flourish excel (my tanks are planted). That solved the problem and my tank looks great again.

 

[ddayton21]

sorry for the delayed response.

my tank is just now slowly becoming planted but the algae is covering the plastic plants that have been there since i started the tank. I do either 20% water changes twice a week or 40% once a week depending on my schedule. I have been removing algae bit by bit and it seems to now be subsiding.