Algea in all forms Great

Hey guys this is a link I'm stumbled apon and it explains everything in great detail about algea i hope it sheds some light on algea for everyone

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_freshwater_algae.php

 

Thanx High-wash:top:

 

Pleasure Ruan

 

I must add: The Bearded Algae is quite attractive!

 

lol yea but its causes quiet a mess

 

And there's only one fish that eats it

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder .... Anything you not telling us about your tanks at the moment Ruan, or have you resigned and became an algae farmer

Actually a LFS in JHB has only BBA and fish in his one tank ... seems like he gave up, now the tank is like a furry dashboard.

 

Yup thats great.

I use this one

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

 

nice link :bigsmile:

 

thanks guys its good

 

LOL, Strangely I've only ever had the Algae that sticks to your glass in the past, had to wipe it off every week!

LOL @ "Algae Farmer" :bigsmile:

With the new tank, I'll try my best to keep the Algae at bay.
What fish would be recommended for chowing algae, but still being plant friendly?

 

Haha i think at some point we all were algea farmers

 

Otocinclus are good for eating most types of algae and won't harm your plants, but they're notoriously frail and should be kept in groups if possible. I've had at least 10 in the past year and there's only 2 left over. It's to do with the way that they're caught and transported.

As for their algae eating abilities, they say you could keep one per foot of your tank.

 

I have never kept them but all pet stores sell them as community and beginners fish from what you are saying his is not the case and they should then not do this.

 

I have one (Albino / yellow seem to work the hardest for me) SAE in my larger planted tanks in the house - even the convicts tank. They seem to do a good job and have not grown to the point that they need to move objects to get around.

+1 @ Whipme agreed OTO's are great but I think the stock we are getting is deteriorating - wonder if it is local breeding causing it. If you do buy them at a LFS make sure it is old stock i.e. you have seen them at that store for more than two weeks.



At least I think it is an SAE ...

 

Don't get me wrong, they're fabulous fish and really do well in a community tank, but they're not the hardiest fish (although the survivors will live for years). It could depend on where the shop gets their stock. It's been said that the wild-caught fish are "sedated" by adding cyanide to the water upstream to make it easier to catch them, and this results in a high first-month mortality rate. All the ones that I've lost have died in the first 2 weeks of having them. The two survivors have been around for months though.

I add some algae chips a few times a week just in case they don't get enough veggies

Sorry to break it to you, but that's a Golden Chinese Algae Eater.
The Siamese Algae Eater is quite different and is often confused with the Flying Fox.

 

Thanks Whipme ... wondered about that - never enough to do the research ... Funny thing is these guys are not as lazy as the "normal" CAE's well not in my tanks. And they do not seem to be as destructive either.

Oh well - got them - love them - will keep getting them.

Good info on http://www.aquahobby.com - will bookmark this. I'll troll the LFS's for true SAE's and add some to see who it the winner over time.

 

The CAE's are great till they reach a certain age apparently. Then they start getting lazy and aggressive. So just keep an eye on them, you might even be lucky and have a well-behaved one.

 

Thanks guys, guess who is going out to get some Otto's tomorrow....

yes, my tank is turning into an algae farm!!!!

 

yes that's good to hear guys Does anyone have any advice on if it is good or not to use a uv Sterilizer for a planted discus tank