i have algae in my tank and it keeps on growing back, what is the best algae eater for a 12 gallon tank and wont grow too big for it?
2006-07-24 12:02:10 · 15 answers · asked by ♫♪♫♪ 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Are you getting too much light, like real sunlight in your tank. If so you need to move you tank or block out the sunlight. A little salt in the water will help. Get aquarium salt and add it according to the directions. don't over feed your fish because the food with also cause algae buildup. Catfish, loaches, and plecostomus are good algae eaters. buy a small pair
2006-07-24 12:19:19 · answer #1 · answered by davi h 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Depending on what else you have in the tank ottos would be the best algae eating fish. Plecos of any type and Chinese algae eaters will grow too big, plus the Chinese Algae eaters tend to stop eating algae and attacking other fish as they get bigger.
If you don't have live plants the big mystery snails can help keep down algae - and they wont breed like crazy. Ramshorns are good to but they can start having a population explosion.
then look at your stocking levels - overstocking, over feeding and too much light can all cause excess nutrients (nitrates) which help feed algae. Water changes can help get rid of that.
2006-07-24 13:19:38 · answer #2 · answered by Sage Bluestorm 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get an algae eater, they'll keep the tank clean. Be warned, though, Chinese/Golden algae eaters (or algae eaters from that family) tend to become aggressive as they grow, and can and will attack the other fish in the tank. I had a golden algae eater before, and it attacked one of my tetras (which was bigger than it at the time), and gave it a gash on it's side. It ended up dieing from it, which made me upset at the algae eater. So, I personally would go with a pleco. Just make sure you get it while it's small (about 1 inch), and it'll make sure the tank stays clean.
Best of luck!
2006-07-24 12:28:25 · answer #3 · answered by band_geek_til_2007 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Regular old chinese algae eaters are good. They don't get that big. I wouldn't get more than 3 depending upon how many fish you have in the tank already. Make sure the tank isn't too near a window and turn the light off at night. That helps to inhibit algae. Pleco's are nice but they grow according to the level of hormones in your water Meaning that once the hormone produced by them is at a certain level, they will stop growing. Everytime you do a water change, the level drops and they grow again.
2006-07-24 12:07:06 · answer #4 · answered by justme 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy an algae eater because they only grow up around 5/4 inches.
2006-07-24 12:11:14 · answer #5 · answered by UNKNOWN 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crossocheilus siamensis
The Siamese Algae Eater fish
http:www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_sae.php
2006-07-24 12:13:32 · answer #6 · answered by J D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plecos are great algae eaters, but do tend to get a little big, even though they tend to limit themselves to tank space. Chinese algae eaters are also quite efficient. You should also consider some live plants for your tank. Live plants help control algae by taking the nutrients it needs for survival, therefore effectively starving it.
Good luck.
2006-07-24 12:07:42 · answer #7 · answered by Audrey A 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First take care of the immediate problem.
Apparently there is some natural sunlight getting into your tank.
Block it or move the tank... 'cause you're fighting an uphill battle otherwise.
Next, you can buy a small Plecostomus or regular Algae eaters to to care of the problem afterwards.
2006-07-24 12:05:16 · answer #8 · answered by J.D. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems such as you have spot algae. That form of algae is rather tricky to take off the partitions of your tank even in spite of the indisputable fact that your scrubbing it off with a coarse sponges. Plecos could no longer somewhat devour it as its tricky to scrape off the wall. do no longer attempt snails. even in spite of the indisputable fact that they are able to devour off spot algae of the partitions, it does no longer mean that they'll devour all of it. I had some apple snails and you ought to work out the factors which they wiped clean and the spots the place they did no longer. My answer is to decrease the era of ways long your lights are on extensive-unfold. Mine is desperate to 12hours in my planted tank(flora outcompete with algae on nutrition), on a similar time as my different tank is desperate to ten hours (no algae or very minimum). To get rid of the algae on the partitions, use your scrubber that has a cope with and only scrub the partitions till it comes off.
2016-12-10 13:43:17 · answer #9 · answered by flintroy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have several choices in this case:
1. One Plecostomus.
2. A few Ghost Shrimp.
3. Algone. See www.algone.com
2006-07-26 04:41:48 · answer #10 · answered by NCConfederate13 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋