Sharp-mouthed algae eaters?

[CalmedByFish]

Alright, Folks. I've got the kind of algae that looks like a mat of little flat green splotches on the tank walls. It won't even come off with ACO's "algae scrubber" sponges, and muscle-burning scrubbing. I'd use a razor blade, but the tank is acrylic.

I give up. There's got to be a critter that can help with this.

What kind of aquarium inhabitant can function like a razor blade? 

29 gallons.

pH 8.3.

An angel and a few platies.

Aaand GO.  

[Sweetpickles]

@CalmedByFishI am glad you asked this question! I have the same issue!! Looking forward to some good ideas! 

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/5/2021 at 6:48 PM, Sweetpickles said:

@CalmedByFishI am glad you asked this question! I have the same issue!! Looking forward to some good ideas! 

Good! I hope it helps you, too. 

I've tried every trick for decreasing growth, and succeeded! But once that type of algae is on a surface, it's hanging on like lichen in the arctic. It's unbelievable. 

[Sweetpickles]

On 12/5/2021 at 8:09 PM, CalmedByFish said:

Good! I hope it helps you, too. 

I've tried every trick for decreasing growth, and succeeded! But once that type of algae is on a surface, it's hanging on like lichen in the arctic. It's unbelievable. 

I have used a microfiber cloth, it helps a little and I only use it on the front since it does take some muscle! 💪even the panda gara and snails don't get it off!

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/5/2021 at 7:14 PM, Sweetpickles said:

I have used a microfiber cloth, it helps a little and I only use it on the front since it does take some muscle! 💪even the panda gara and snails don't get it off!

What kind of snails have you tried? I've tried Malaysian trumpet, bladder, and ramshorn. (Ramshorns have been excellent for me for getting off soft flat green algae, but not this hard flat green algae.) 

[Sweetpickles]

On 12/5/2021 at 8:19 PM, CalmedByFish said:

What kind of snails have you tried? I've tried Malaysian trumpet, bladder, and ramshorn. (Ramshorns have been excellent for me for getting off soft flat green algae, but not this hard flat green algae.) 

I love my ramshorns!! I also have mystery snails and bladder. 

[CalmedByFish]

@Sweetpickles I found this article about which animals eat which algaes.

It says nerite snails are, "especially handy at scraping off the very tough green spot algae." But it says about otocinclus catfish, "their mouths are ideal for... flat surfaces." 

I don't know if I should pay more attention to the words "scraping" and "very tough," or "flat surfaces." I'm leaning toward "scraping" and "very tough" though.  

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/algae-eaters

 

[Sweetpickles]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:23 PM, CalmedByFish said:

@Sweetpickles I found this article about which animals eat which algaes.

It says nerite snails are, "especially handy at scraping off the very tough green spot algae." But it says about otocinclus catfish, "their mouths are ideal for... flat surfaces." 

I don't know if I should pay more attention to the words "scraping" and "very tough," or "flat surfaces." I'm leaning toward "scraping" and "very tough" though.  

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/algae-eaters

 

That's great! Thanks! I have 2 otocats in qt right now! I should get a nerite snail. I have a couple in my 20 gal. I have no algea issues in my 20 gal! I have a panda gara, tons of snails and shrimp. I am hoping my big tank goes as well as the smaller.

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/6/2021 at 8:51 AM, Sweetpickles said:

That's great! Thanks! I have 2 otocats in qt right now! I should get a nerite snail. I have a couple in my 20 gal. I have no algea issues in my 20 gal! I have a panda gara, tons of snails and shrimp. I am hoping my big tank goes as well as the smaller.

If your 20 has nerites and no algae, that sounds promising! Since you have multiple, maybe you could separate them into more tanks to keep more clean?

I decided to try some nerites. The cheapest I found (that looked like they'd arrive healthy) were 3 zebras for $16. They should arrive in about a week.

[Hobbit]

@CalmedByFish my otos haven’t been able to eat the tough green algae. Let me know if the nerites get it! I can scrub the algae off with a rough scrubby pad but it’s SO much work!

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/6/2021 at 10:10 AM, Hobbit said:

@CalmedByFish my otos haven’t been able to eat the tough green algae. Let me know if the nerites get it! I can scrub the algae off with a rough scrubby pad but it’s SO much work!

With that comment, the magical internet has now told me that nerites are the only possibility. I hadn't found anything specifically saying otos can't do it until now - I'd only not seen anyone say they can. 

I'll update you on it. I'm not sure I'll put them into the acrylic immediately. I plan to separate them into different tanks so I can see who lays eggs, and keep that one(s) out of the favorite tank.

[Odd Duck]

Of all the species of snails that I have (the most variety is in my 100 G), I find horned/thorned nerites the most useful and versatile little cleaners by far.  They’re the only nerites I ever see on the plants and I’ve seen them even on delicate leaves that even ramshorns won’t venture out on unless they’re babies.  They will show up on any surface in the entire tank.  Most other nerites tend to stay with hard surfaces.

Ramshorns will hit any surface but don’t seem to scrape things clean quite as well.  I have only rams growing in some tanks and the glass isn’t impressively clean in those tanks, sooooo . . . . . . .

A mix of different snails is good if you can keep the rams/bladders/ponds under control.  I love mystery snails, but they’re a lazy lot, overall.  Take regular naps, early to bed, late to rise.  Slugabeds of the snail world, really, but entertaining when they are out and about.

Their cousins the Japanese trapdoor snails appear to work pretty hard and I find younguns out on the tips of plants cleaning regularly.  These guys are slowly reproducing livebearers but they have not become a pestilence in any way.  They aren’t a spectacular looking snail, but seem to be very efficient and versatile.

Marble limpets (supposed to be a nerite relative) are a wonder for the glass and will sometimes work wood, too, if it has a promising layer of algae, but they very much prefer the glass and will even get down under the sand surface up against the glass.

I think Prambanan snails are doing a good job but I don’t see them often, soooo . . . .  They are a relative to MTS’s but are supposed to be much slower reproducing.  I would say about the same for chopstick snails.  Likely are working hard down in my sand substrate and don’t seem to stir excessively since I don’t see my dirt coming to the surface. Both of these species are slowly reproducing livebearers but they could hurry up about if you ask me.  Especially the chopsticks.  I saw a few babies early on, but none in months.  I think they just stay buried too much so I don’t know if I would see babies or not.  I don’t know, maybe I’ll have dozens of babies erupt from the substrate someday.

Bladders seems to do a decent job, but I don’t have enough of them to tell if they’re a really good cleaner or not.  I pluck them out of most tanks to go in pea puffer tanks.  I’ve only had a few pond snails show up and they went right into pea puffer tanks.

I have MTS’s for the first time in the 29 G puffer tank.  There are multiple other species of snails in there so it’s hard to judge how much they contribute to the overall cleaning work.  So far, the sand looks good.

Oh, and the horned/thorned nerites lay MUCH smaller eggs, so they are minimally objectionable.

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/6/2021 at 10:18 AM, Odd Duck said:

Of all the species of snails that I have (the most variety is in my 100 G), I find horned/thorned nerites the most useful and versatile little cleaners by far...  They will show up on any surface in the entire tank.  Most other nerites tend to stay with hard surfaces.

Ramshorns will hit any surface but don’t seem to scrape things clean quite as well.  I have only rams growing in some tanks and the glass isn’t impressively clean in those tanks, sooooo . . . . . . .

Marble limpets (supposed to be a nerite relative) are a wonder for the glass and will sometimes work wood, too, if it has a promising layer of algae, but they very much prefer the glass and will even get down under the sand surface up against the glass.

That entire comment was interesting! 

I ordered zebra nerites for the tank walls, so it sounds like I might've chosen with some good luck. But I was actually preferring the look of marble limpets. I only chose zebra over them because there was a major price difference, but this is good info. I saved it in my snail notes.

I've had a similar experience with ramshorns. When I first got them, I put them in a tank that was caked in green algae. I'd come look again about every hour, and every time, there was less green. In a week, all the hard surfaces were clean. I remain amazed! That makes me wonder if that flat green algae, and this flat green algae, might be different types. Or maybe there's something about acrylic that helps the algae hold on. That other tank was glass.

[Odd Duck]

On 12/6/2021 at 10:44 AM, CalmedByFish said:

That entire comment was interesting! 

I ordered zebra nerites for the tank walls, so it sounds like I might've chosen with some good luck. But I was actually preferring the look of marble limpets. I only chose zebra over them because there was a major price difference, but this is good info. I saved it in my snail notes.

I've had a similar experience with ramshorns. When I first got them, I put them in a tank that was caked in green algae. I'd come look again about every hour, and every time, there was less green. In a week, all the hard surfaces were clean. I remain amazed! That makes me wonder if that flat green algae, and this flat green algae, might be different types. Or maybe there's something about acrylic that helps the algae hold on. That other tank was glass.

There are definitely a couple different types of flat green algae.  The lighter green stuff that blankets quickly seems to come off easily.  The dark green stuff that is in little spots and dots seems to be very hard, doesn’t come off with a magnetic scraper, only with a blade, for me, but I have all glass and don’t have to worry about scratches unless I keep using a rusty blade.  On acrylic, I would go for horned/thorned nerites and maybe some marble limpets.

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/6/2021 at 10:47 AM, Odd Duck said:

The dark green stuff that is in little spots and dots seems to be very hard, doesn’t come off with a magnetic scraper, only with a blade, for me, but I have all glass and don’t have to worry about scratches unless I keep using a rusty blade.  On acrylic, I would go for horned/thorned nerites and maybe some marble limpets.

Yeah, that describes the algae I've got. 

I'll make a note about the horned/thorned and marble limpets. If the zebras don't scrape it off, I'll try that.

[Sweetpickles]

On 12/6/2021 at 11:09 AM, CalmedByFish said:

If your 20 has nerites and no algae, that sounds promising! Since you have multiple, maybe you could separate them into more tanks to keep more clean?

I decided to try some nerites. The cheapest I found (that looked like they'd arrive healthy) were 3 zebras for $16. They should arrive in about a week.

I thought about doing that if I can find one. They seem pretty elusive at times. That's a good price. I have a credit at aquatic arts. Shipped fish don't seem to work for me as well as receiving snails. Maybe that's what I will do. Let's hope this works!! 

On 12/5/2021 at 9:23 PM, CalmedByFish said:

@Sweetpickles I found this article about which animals eat which algaes.

It says nerite snails are, "especially handy at scraping off the very tough green spot algae." But it says about otocinclus catfish, "their mouths are ideal for... flat surfaces." 

I don't know if I should pay more attention to the words "scraping" and "very tough," or "flat surfaces." I'm leaning toward "scraping" and "very tough" though.  

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/algae-eaters

 

I appreciate the comments below about the otocats. I would agree with the "scraping" term. That is what I want to to do but the scratches I would cause......

[drewzero1]

I've had several nerites and one horned nerite, they've all been great for keeping algae off the glass. I've been looking for another horned nerite all year and haven't seen any available in my area. They're so cute with their little crown of spikes!