[Faiora]

I need a true SAE or two to deal with a hair algae attack in my 25-gallon planted. I'd prefer to find a trade, or, honestly, I'd be fine with just borrowing your fish for a couple weeks Young ones would be better, due to the size of my tank, which houses 6 young congo tetras, a small pleco, and a few cherry shrimp and snails (will be upgrading to a much bigger tank in the next 6 mos or so, so don't worry about my congos or pleco )

I have small amounts of quite a few types of plants available for trade, or a 5-gal undergravel filter, or a 550g container of Sera Bio Balance (increases hardness & stabilizes GH/pH), or a fancy air-powered breeding trap, airstones, and probably other stuff. I might even part with a couple baby blue moscow guppies (you can wait until they grow out a bit).

It's kind of urgent I get rid of this algae before it takes over everything >.> I've been increasing my CO2, cutting out phosphates from my fert regime, giving the lighting a midday break... but I'd rather be physically rid of the stuff than just kill it... please help!

 

[Rastapus]

The problem will re occur most likely so having SAE or Shrimp full time would be better.

 

[Smiladon]

The problem will re occur most likely so having SAE or Shrimp full time would be better.

i didn't know shrimp take out hair algae. What types of shrimp do that?

 

[Faiora]

The problem will re occur most likely so having SAE or Shrimp full time would be better.

I have a few shrimp and am working on getting more... I'm hoping that the other measures I have taken will keep this from recurring but in the meantime I want the stuff GONE o.o;;

Do you think SAE would be alright in the 25gal long-term? I mean, I'm going to be upgrading, but as it stands it can wait up to a year (for fish currently in the tank)...

 

[Rastapus]

No SAE is a long term fish. Once they hit a certain size they ignore the majority of algae and just eat prepared foods. Shrimp on the other hand never let you down. This is particularly true of beard algae. I am not too sure which algae you have as they are commonly confused. The dark green or black fuzzy style of algae is quite common in Vancouver.

 

[2wheelsx2]

Amano shrimp are what you are after. Hardest working shrimp there is. Cherries barely put a dent in algae. Amanos will eat hair algae and BBA.

 

[eternity302]

And amanos get big enough not to get eaten! =) just my opinion!

 

[Smiladon]

Amano shrimp are what you are after. Hardest working shrimp there is. Cherries barely put a dent in algae. Amanos will eat hair algae and BBA.

And amanos get big enough not to get eaten! =) just my opinion!

Thanks guys! Maybe I should put in a few in my tank too.

 

[Faiora]

Hmm... sounds like perhaps a plan.
Amanos are pretty too I mean, as red as the cherry shrimp are, I think I sort of prefer the amanos... should pick some up.

 

[j2daff]

won't the Congo's eat the shrimp? I feed my ABF crickets and my Congo Tetra get more than their fair share. I know the shrimp can hide but I would think the Congo Tetra's would eat them sooner or later.

 

[2wheelsx2]

They will try when they get bigger, if the Amanos are small.

 

[negafen]

this is thread 666.

Pm'd

 

[Faiora]

won't the Congo's eat the shrimp? I feed my ABF crickets and my Congo Tetra get more than their fair share. I know the shrimp can hide but I would think the Congo Tetra's would eat them sooner or later.

The congos are still quite young, so they're not big enough to eat my adult cherry shrimp. The tank is also quite well-planted, as I mentioned... and the congos tend to ignore anything that falls down below mid-tank-level.

 

[Faiora]

this is thread 666.

Pm'd

Huh... how 'bout that

 

[kirkdgxp]

Get a Panaque Pleco.....be algae eaters ever....I have a huge piece of driftwood in my tank that had 2"+ brown algae on it....these two Green Panaque worked like lawn mowers and had it cleaned bare in two days