How many SAEs to get...

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Ger

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Jan 14, 2003
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I know it sounds crazy, but what has your experience been with the number of Siamese Algae Eaters used in your tanks? I have a 15 gallon high light tnak, and currently only have 2 ottos in it. A nearby LFS has a handful of SAEs... I am considering three of them. Too many? I have just been introduced to about 4 types of algae, and figure that it would be good to add a little activity to the tank and not have to scrape the front glass at the same time.

Thanks for your help -- gotta double check those nitrates...
 
As far as I know, SAEs don't clean glass. They are popular in planted tanks because they consume BBA. That said I don't suggest SAEs for a tank of such a size. They can potentially grow to a length of 6 inches... thats already half the length of a standard 15 gallon tank. Look into getting C. japonica shrimp (amano/algae eating/etc. shrimp) if you want something effective at all sorts of algae control, a group of 5-10 should do. Of course, if you have fish in your tank that will eat shrimp, you obviously shouldn't get them.

Just looking at your post, I assume you are experiencing an algae bloom? Properly maintained tanks usually don't need a large population of algae eaters. Properly maintained nutrient, CO2 and light levels should be enough to stop most algae blooms.

HTH
-Richer
 
Thanks for the feedback. I've succumbed to the hype of the SAE- some folks claimed that they eat all sorts. It's not a bloom in the sense of an overnight green-water tank. I just pruned back some hygro and foxtail and lifted out a couple of mats of hair algae in the process. I'm a plant noob, so I thought that adding a few more critters would be more of a defensive measure, not an offensive one (yet). Just to clarify (to myself) the tank measures 12x24x12, so I do see what you're saying.
I just measured my nitrates... 25 mg/L. Recipe for algae there, I think -- due for its weekly water change anyhow. All the other plants are doing wonderfully... Not sure if it helps illustrate algae busting ability (or lack thereof), but the plants include a field of D. diandra - beautiful, pearls like crazy and is turning a bright red at the tops. Hygro p.- full, fast growth veins popping out of the leaves like a body builder. L. repens - nice growth, lots of leaves. Foxtail - full and bushy, likes to pearl. My A. reineckii doesn't seem to be doing too well despite its height increase... sending out lots of roots but the tops of the leaves are turning a yellow-brown and fall off easily... It also has fuzz algae on it.

My CO2 saturation seems to be around 15 ppm at the end of the photoperiod (KH 3 pH ~6.8 (+/- .2).

So if I am to pass on the SAEs, I'll look for the shrimp. They have 2 in the store for US$4.50. Any opinions / experiences with the red cherry shrimp?
 
Cherry Shrimp appear to be industrious little scavengers of just about anything. I have 'fed' a number of them into my 15G high and they go right to work. Unfortunately I haven't been able to keep many of them around long enough to get a definitive answer on their algae-eating abilities. Either Swordtails or a Betta is to blame :( But that's for another thread.
 
Yes, a properly balanced tank shouldn't have an algae problem. Despite our best efforts at orchestrating it all, many of us -- especially us newbs -- often see some algae.

SAEs are nice fish, but they will get too big for a 15g. My juvenile has grown noticeably in a little over a month. They do eat other types of algae. They are one of few (the only?) fish known to eat BBA. This doesn't mean that they restrict themselves to it. My SAE eats spot algae, grazes on what I think is (green) beard algae, and can often be seen working the glass. I don't know if he's after diatoms or tiny bits of spot algae. Hasn't shown much interest in what I think is hair algae. I see him working all the time, but he doesn't look like he'll be able to keep things clear on his own.

Still trying to get all the nutrients balanced and the CO2 steady.
 
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