Leaving algae on side or back glass for fish to nibble on

[Nanci B]

I have nano fish, and most of them enjoy eating algae on the walls of my tank. I usually only leave the back and one side of the tank for algae growth, but since I am battling so much algae right now and will be using the RR method, and hydrogen peroxide on any algae left after I remove as much algae as I can. 
should I leave any algae available for my nano fish or should I scrape off every piece I can locate? 
 

Thanks! 

[nabokovfan87]

Long term, I do.  If things get pretty long I scrape it.  I would say scrape it at least once every 1-3 months.  Once the algae gets hard fish won't eat it.  I try to leave the side / back glass (as long as it's not hair algae).

On 8/19/2022 at 10:23 PM, Nanci B said:

since I am battling so much algae right now and will be using the RR method

For now. Try to manually remove everything, at least once a week.

Edited August 20, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[Nanci B]

On 8/20/2022 at 12:53 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

I try to leave the side / back glass (as long as it's not hair algae).

Why is if different if it’s hair algae? 

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/20/2022 at 5:44 AM, Nanci B said:

Why is if different if it’s hair algae? 

A lot of fish can't or won't eat hair algae but the short diatoms (before they grow into hairs) and plate style algae are easier for fish and shrimp to graze on.

Depending on what type of algae you're keeping, it'll start short, spread across the glass, then it'll start to "grow in" and get long hairs.

Stuff like this:

After a while it gets like this... then gets some "hairs" on it.

[Flumpweesel]

I don't stress about algae (life is to short). I only clean the glass I look through which is only the front on the main tank as it in a recess.

Basically if it bothers you remove it if it doesn't leave it be. Fish eat it and it uses nitrates so it's only failing is not being as pretty as the plants we buy.

 

[gardenman]

In addition to consuming nitrates, it also provides more surface area for beneficial bacteria to inhabit. An algae covered glass wall has lots more surface area for beneficial bacteria than a clean glass wall.

[Guppysnail]

I bought nerite snails that is a feast to them and they are crazy fun to watch. Though the algae walls don’t hurt anything. 

[Ken Burke]

I don’t stress over algae anywhere in the aquarium, except the front glass.  Even that, not much.  It offers so many benefits as mentioned above.  Even hair, blackbeard and stag algae.  
 

In one of Cory’s videos, he talks about encouraging algae to grow, but in an area you choose. 

[Nanci B]

@nabokovfan87, @Ken Burke, @Flumpweesel, @gardenman, @Guppysnail

Thank you all so much! These suggestions all fall in line with what I believe. So the algae will stay! Cheers! 🪷

[JettsPapa]

On 8/20/2022 at 5:56 PM, Flumpweesel said:

I don't stress about algae (life is to short). I only clean the glass I look through which is only the front on the main tank as it in a recess.

Basically if it bothers you remove it if it doesn't leave it be. Fish eat it and it uses nitrates so it's only failing is not being as pretty as the plants we buy.

Same here.  I only clean the glass I look through, which is never more than the front and one side, and often just the front.  Oddly enough (though maybe it isn't that odd, and it happens with everyone), the larger the tank the less scraping they need.  I can't remember the last time I cleaned the glass on my 65 gallon tank.  I cleaned the front on the 40 gallon breeder last week, but it had probably been a year since the last time.  The smaller tanks usually need it once or twice each month.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Let a nerite snail do the tidying for you. Their shells have beautiful designs as well.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/nerite-snail-care

[Scot]

On 8/25/2022 at 1:31 PM, Pepere said:

Unfortunately freshwater inverterbrate keeping is banned in Maine.  No shrimps, no snails, no hillstream loaches either…

That's cause Maine is one big near pristine fishery and they don't want you to F it up.