Are there any fish that eat and/or help control algae that can survive in a goldfish tank?
2007-03-30 06:40:58 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Goldfish with goldfish only and that includes a pleco. Let the goldfish eat the algae, they grow huge on it. The pleco can survive the gf but the gf may not survive the pleco. Pleco's are omnivours and also nocturnal. Gf sleep at night. Pleco will attack sleeping gf and suck the scales right off. I kicked my self in the *** when the 5 dollar pleco sucked all the scales off of a 80 dollar ranchu and killed it. The algae is good for your system anyway, the algae eating fish is not needed. My whole tank is green, the fish graze on it all day and are growing like mad. It will keep your nitrates low as well. Algae also adds oxygen.
2007-03-30 08:27:00 · answer #1 · answered by Sunday P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a variety of algae eating fish that like the same general conditions as goldfish, oto's in particular. But the larger issue is the source of the algae problem. Algae needs two things to grow, light and nutrients. Keep your lighting off as much as possible and do significant (25-35%) water changes each week and you will see the algae problem come down by it's self.
MM
2007-03-30 14:23:35 · answer #2 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You CAN find commercial algae reducing chemicals but you'd be a lot safer buying some fish or snails that feed on them.
The best guys are called Ancistrus D. and are very easy to recognise since they have a suction pad-like mouth which they use to stick to the walls of the tank and eat the algae.They're pretty small and dark green in colour.Depending on the tank size they do a great job.
Another point of interest are some small red snails that multiply like crazy and eat a lot of algae off the sides.Not sure what they're called but you only need 5 or 6 to get the colony started.They'll do the job from there.
Hope it helps.
2007-03-30 13:54:45 · answer #3 · answered by Nazdravan 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There is nothing that will magically clear up your algae problem. The secret to controlling algae, aside from not overstocking and/or overfeeding and/or overlighting, is to scrub it yourself. Pleco's, snails, shrimp, etc. will all eat some algae, but not enough to keep it clear, or in some cases even make a noticeable difference.
2007-03-30 14:08:44 · answer #4 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Goldfish are best in a bowl, because they poop alot and it's hard to keep a "tank" clean with them in it. I would suggest you take the goldfish and put it in a bowl and save the tank for some fresh water fish. If you already have the goldfish in a tank with a filter and all that, trust me, the poop is so bad with them it will clog all your equipment, but if you'd like, I'd suggest a plecostemous and a bottom feeder.
2007-03-30 14:01:31 · answer #5 · answered by Tracey 4 · 0⤊ 5⤋
go to petco and ask is snails get along with goldfish. there pretty good at keeping a tank clean
2007-03-30 13:43:50 · answer #6 · answered by junior 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
MAYBE a pleco ( a type of cat fish)
ask the pet store
PS if you get snails they sometimes breed
like jack rabbits & then you have lots of them in the tank
2007-03-30 13:52:22 · answer #7 · answered by start 6-22-06 summer time Mom 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋