Beard algae (hey StirCrazy)

[Delphinus]

(Steve, I'm starting a new thread so as not to hijack the other thread. smile.gif )

So, I have a stubborn case of this kind of turf algae in my freshwater tank. EmilyB once called it "beard algae" so that's what I'm calling it.

I already have TWO bristlenoses (a guy and a girl), and they don't touch the stuff. How will a sailfin act towards plants? I'm always nervous that I'm going to buy something that mows what little nice plants I have left...

I tried some bumblebee corydoras once ... poor little things didn't do too well in my tank. Too bad, they were great little fish!

If I could find some algae eating shrimp I'd try them. But, I'm not so sure they could clean up the existing mess. Plus, shrimp (ie. glass shrimp I've tried on occasion) don't seem to fare well in this tank, I think someone eats them. Tankmates are: 2 clown loaches, 2 bristlenose plecs, 1 butterfly loach (aka "UFO plec" -- not sure why they call it a "plec" when it is really a "loach"), and three blackskirt tetras.

The loaches make pretty quick work of most snails I buy. I've got these "bumblebee snails" that they seem to leave alone, but these snails don't do much except just sit on the glass at the waterline ... and sit there ... and sit there ... and sit there.

I recently broke down and bought an RO unit, and I've been using this now instead of tap for water changes to see if this helps reduce the nutrient load. The tap water doesn't test out with NO3 or PO4 when it goes in, but they accumulate pretty badly in the tank. I've tried switching fish foods, cutting back on feeding, etc., not much of a difference.

The worst with this beard algae is when I get it growing on the plants. Have some java moss that I'm tempted to just throw completely out it's such a mess.

I haven't tried boiling the rocks and wood yet, although, it's on the horizon (has been on my "to do" list for some time now ... when I have some time I'll get around to it..)

So, think a sailfin will fit in this tank? Seems like a pretty full tank as it is, maybe?

[Bob I]

Yes Tony there is a fish that will eat that algae. It is the SIAMESE Flying Fox (Epalzeorhynchos siamensis) It has to be siamensis NOT kallopterus, which is much more common. They are hard to tell apart. I know Pisces has had them in the past.
Bob :D

[Delphinus]

I've heard horror stories about flying foxes. Aren't they vicious? Like, they eat the eyes out of more peaceable tankmates or something.

I once had a fish that looked like a small flying fox. Big Al's called it "The Worlds Greatest Algae Eater." (Try and find THAT common name in any fish book's "Index by Common Name.") They had no idea what species it was (ah, good old LFS's... :rolleyes: ). Well, with a name like that, I had to try one. And he was a really cool fish with a lot of personality. But as far as eating algae went, he was the World's Worst World's Greatest Algae Eater. Since he looked like one of these flying foxes I named him "Fox" (also for because of the name "Fox Mulder" and this fish was paranoid just like Fox Mulder on the X-Files). I don't usually name my fish, but this guy had enough personality to justify it... unfortunately he only lived about 1-1/2 or 2 years or thereabouts... :(

The only other fish I think I ever named was a tiny little otocinclus. He was a rescue case, so he was at least 2 years old when I got him, and I think he lived a good 2 or 3 years for me. Before he ever came to live in my tank though someone had picked on him and he had only one eye. So HIS moniker was "One Eyed Otto." :D

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by Bob Ipema:
Yes Tony there is a fish that will eat that algae. It is the SIAMESE Flying Fox (Epalzeorhynchos siamensis) It has to be siamensis NOT kallopterus, which is much more common. They are hard to tell apart. I know Pisces has had them in the past.
Bob :D <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just what I was going to recomend myself Bob smile.gif
only they are not that hard to tell apart if you know what you are looking for. they are sold in stors as a "siamese flying fox" "flying fox" "SAE" (siamese algae eater) ... I think that nails down the most commen ones. as delphinus mentioned the mean one was most likely a chinease algae eater (comenly mistaked for SAE.) the easyest way to tell them apart is by the black stripe. the SAE (the one you want) has the stripe extending right to the end of the tail fin. also there is a normal mouth with barbles NOT a suction cup. here is a pic of one whare you can kinda see what I am talking about with the stripe
http://members.shaw.ca/cyltic/SAE.jpg
they are a very good algae eater and are very delicate on the plants smile.gif
as for sailfin pleco's they do not harm plants, but as they get bigger they like to pull them out on ya.. I swear mine dose it cuz it knows it bugs me :D

as for OTO's I personaly don't like them, they only eat film algae and not much for there size.. they also have the problem of being finiky to water conditions.

if you already have 2 bristle noses I woulden't get a sailfin, Real SAE are what you need now.. be aware that a little 1" SAE will be a 4" SAE by the end of a year. they like to lay around and they look lazy but they probaly eat more than a pleco with out the sausage poop :D :D

Steve

[Bob I]

You are right except possibly the size. I think you probably need something bigger that a 30 for it to reach 4" in a year smile.gif As for the barbels I think I remember one has two and the other fox has four barbels. Trying to see that tends to make you go blind. :D
Bob
PS the stripe is the best indicator.

[Delphinus]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by Bob Ipema:
I think you probably need something bigger that a 30 for it to reach 4" in a year smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I had 4 SAE get to 4" in a year in a 37 gal smile.gif it seams that for them, if they eat.. they grow :D

Steve

[EmilyB]

Tony, they have some algae eating shrimp at Petland Crowfoot.

I ordered some ghosts to feed my mini dwarf zebra lion, and they couldn't get them, but got these instead. They are HUGE. Almost as big as the ones I've had in the FW tank for a bit (these are monsters reminding me of cleaning shrimp - they have taken over the log...yes the log...) They seem to focus on the plants more, not on the glass.
smile.gif

[Delphinus]

Perfect -- it's easy for me to clean the glass than it is the plants anyways, so that works out well. Thanks for the tip!

[StirCrazy]

EmilyB, you wouldent hapen to know the name of these shrimp would you? they sound like something I might be interested in if they are big. we get little ghost shrimp out here but my fish think they are food as they are so small.

Steve

[EmilyB]

I suspect they are Caridina japonica, although every picture I seem to find of this species looks a bit different.

http://infinitytropicals.safeshopper.com/29/44.htm?701

Mine look more like this:

http://www.fish2u.com/aleatshrim.html