[Laurel]

I'm working on a last ditch effort to figure out something that will eat algae in my tank and not die.

I have a 29 gallon tanganyika cube with multies and some julies in it. I started out with a bn pleco who died 5 weeks in. Hoping that it was a freak accident, I picked up another one, and after 5 weeks he died as well. I read that nerite snails are easily acclimated to fresh water and are effective algae-eaters. I bought 5, spent a few hours acclimating them, put them in the tank, and they all died without even moving.

I don't want to sentence one of the plecos from my big tank to death(and I adore the little guys), and I don't want to mess with more snails that may or may not make it in this tank. I'm left with shrimp. How effective are they at consuming algae? Will they eat most kinds of common algae(green, diatom, etc)? Considering the size of the fish in the tank(and also their aggressive nature) are they likely to eat adult cherry shrimp? I prefer cherry shrimp due to their ability to withstand higher pH, their color, and their propensity to breed(good for live food), but I've read that Amano shrimp are a little more effective at eating algae and get bigger making consuming them harder. I'm willing to get whatever will work best, providing the margin is significant enough to justify the difference in looks.

Will I need to add iodine supplement? The water is very hard and pretty high pH, between 8.2 and 8.6, and i add Seachem Flourish for my java ferns, as well as excel. Will Excel or Flourish negatively effect the shrimp? Flourish has trace amounts of copper in it, does that effect all invertebrates or just snails. Thanks for the input!

 

[NorthShore]

I have dosed my planted tank with flourish without any negative consequences to shrimp. Having said that, your fish will eat shrimp. Actively. And besides, you'd be dispapointed with how much/type algae they consume. Amano are better algae eaters, but would still be a snack in your tank.

Nerite snails do not do a great job either and tend to eat algae at a certain length, so you end up with them basically leaving trails through patches of algae.

You could try ramshorn snails, but I'm afraid they would meet the same demise as the shrimp.

I would do one of two things if I were you. Set up the lights to be on for only a few hours each day, or if you need them on for a long period of time, use a timer and have the lights turn off for about an hour in the middle of the light cycle. That can stop algae from really getting going.

 

[Laurel]

I'm not really willing to add anything to my aquarium that has the possibility of becoming a "pest," and those snails are exactly that.

The julies and multies are all very small, will they just beat the shrimp to death and then feast on the carcasses?

I have live plants in the tank and I'm not willing to not look at my tank because I'm afraid of algae. The purpose of it's existence is to give me something nice to look at, and without lights, that's not what it will be. I need to come up with some sort of permanent solution to this algae problem as it's not going to just go away, but I'm at a loss at this point.

Do you think it's cruel to try a few full-grown shrimp in this tank? I really don't know what else I could try.

 

[TheeMon]

the shrimp would slowly get eaten, all the babies for sure and evently the shrimp, when they molt, or just die of stress, + there more into micro orginisims then algae, they do eat the algae, but there looking for the micro orginisims in/around/on the algae.

i dont know what else to tell you other then get a magnet cleaner... i have 1 for my smaller tanks and it does wonders... you really should get a large one for bigger tanks though(because of time and glass thickness)

 

[Laurel]

My glass staying clean isn't a problem. I have mag floats for both of my tanks. I don't like the heavy accumulation of algae on the rocks. It wouldn't bother me so much but the parts of the rocks that don't get direct light don't grow algae and I'm a little obsessive compulsive.

 

[dwarfpike]

I'm sure I'll get yelled of for the pH differance in even suggesting these ... but what about oto's? Shouldn't have a problem with the cichlids, won't hurt the plants, and once they settle in are tough little fish ... though I will admit turing import/acclimation they are touchy.

 

[CichlidAndrew]

I have heard that the cherry shrimp are some of the most efficient shrimp out there. And definately more efficient than amanos. However, i do not know this from experience. I just picked up some cherries and they are ravaging away at the algae.

 

[TheeMon]

My glass staying clean isn't a problem.

sorry, i keep forgeting people have algae besides the glass...

shrimp are diffenetly an option, get cheap shrimp(like red cherry shrimp) BUT also note that according to shrimp forums i visit you shouldnt add ANY ferts to a shrimp tank, since there inverts