O.K. purchased vacuum. Now what?

S

streaker1271

AC Members
Jan 5, 2003
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Mississippi
How am I supposed to use this thing?!? Do I need to take the fish out to do it? What next?

Also, one more question...What is a Chinese algae eater and what does it look like?

Thanks!!:)
 
Depends on the type. Can you post a link to a picture of the sort you have?

A CAE is a loach that eats algae. Unfortunately, it doesn't do it very well, and as it grows it starts prefering other foods. Other fishes' slime coats are popular. Sometimes it selects a particular victim and chases him to distraction.

Not recommended IMNSHO.
 
Well, I don't have any way to post a picture (& really don't know how to!!). But my husband came home with 2 algae eaters. Thats all I know about them. They are about 1 1/2" long, brownish in color with black looking spots and has that sucker looking mouth. Just wondering are there any special needs for them. This makes, at last count, 13 maybe 14 fish in my 10 gal. But I'm moving up to a 30 gal. next month. Hopefully that will be enough room for them.
 
Streaker,
I assume you are talking about a gravel vacuum... Very easy to use, just dip the big end into the water and the other end in a bucket... Scoop up some water in the fat end until a flow starts and then plunge it down into the gravel... Gentley Drill all the way down and wiggle it to get the nice brown SHTUFF out! Do this repeatedly in different locations until you've sucked out whatever % you intend to change (typically 10-20%) Be mindful that you don't expose your heater during this time, either turn it off or get one that has an auto-shutoff, same goes for powerheads...

The CAE you mentioned can be a headache... I woulda suggest instead that you get an Ottocinclus if you want an algae eater... They work wonders on the brown stuff =) Ghost shrimp are also great to have in the tanks as cleaners, and you can have a BUNCH of em without hurting your bioload...
 
Like this?

http://teleline.terra.es/personal/misaher/galeria/***-02.jpg

OK at that size. Two will become quarrelsome amongst themselves, and eventually agressive to the other fish.

No special requirements. If there's not enough algae feed them courgette* and spinach and stuff. Don't let them get a taste for meat based foods....

*Zucchini to you colonials.
 
wow, that's quite a few fish =) What all do you have in there?
 
Here is a page with real pictures of the different kinds of algae eaters.
http://www.aquaworldnet.com/awmag/siamusa.shtml

A Chinese Algae Eater is the last one, near the bottom of the page. He is distincly different from the others because he has a sucker mouth.

You do not have to take fish out to use your gravel vacuum.

edit.... a lot of posts before I got around to pressing reply. I personally have not had any problems with Chinese algae eaters like other people, but I wouldn't recommend having more than one.
 
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Thanks!!

I have 10 platys 8 of which are babies. That was a good deal 10 for the price of 2!! That picture posted does look like what I have. Although 1 seems to be more passive than the other. One zips around the tank acting all crazy and the other just hides all the time. I hope I dont need to worry about my babies. Love those babies!! I haven't put any other food in there but what I have been feeding the others. Are the flakes (Tetra Select Tropical Crisps in a gold can) meat based as you were talking about? Will they even eat that? Will they be aggressive towards my babies? I haven't noticed them going after them but the male platy seems to keep them in check. If they get to close to where the babies hang out, as they all usually stick together, he will chase him off. He does this with the female when she gets too close to them too. Or is this some other type of behavior I am witnessing? (& yes I'm sure its the male doing this!!)

Thanks again!!
 
Do you have algae in your tank? The algae eaters will scrounge up some of the flake food that falls, but it would be better if you could supplement their diet. You can buy algae wafers that sink. I wouldn't add a whole tablet for 2 algae eaters, that's too much, maybe 1/4 of tablet every second day (for perspective, I use Nutrafin tablets, they are 1/2" diameter). Or, parboil a piece of zucchini (mine loves that!) - you have to get it to stay down, you can buy veggie clips.

I think with platies you should be fine. Most problems with CAE's occur on big slow moving fish like angel fish.
 
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My platys love the algae wafers, so you might want to consider a wafer as an alternative to flakes a few times each week.
 
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