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.

[Pepere]

I recently undertook the same task as the algae was getting out of hand, growing on leaves near top of the tank, and growing back with a vengeance after wiping off hob filter and heaters.

 

I do not yet have Algae eaters in tank so I opted to give back wall a thorough  scrubbing as well and 80% water change after scrubbing everything down along with thorough gravel vaccing with the thought that removing algae fragments from substrate and reducing remaining fragments in water column might be helpful in knocking the algae population down.

 

heaters and hob were soaked in hydrogen peroxide and hob was dissassembled for thorough cleaning including impeller and impeller area.

 

5 days later and no return of algae as yet.

 

Before doing this intense cleaning I would scrub the filter and heaters and front glass and try to scrub off leaves with a toothbrush and treat with easy carbon, decreased ferts and lighting period and it would all be back within a few days.

I might suggest cleaning the back glass too and vacuuming the gravel to get more fragments out of tank… It might help knock things down more.

 

I have no doubts back glass algae will return in time regardless.  
 

I am planning on getting some Algae eating fish as soon as current batch if fish come out of quarantine.

[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

[Pepere]

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

[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.

[Pepere]

O heck, Most of the game fish in Maine were introduced in the late 1800s, early 1900s.

Smallmouth  and largemouth bass were introduced as were yellow and white perch. As well as several others I dont remember.  Chain Pickerel were found in just a few southern Maine lakes before being transplanted…

 

I think I read where about 50% of the fish in our waters were introduced.

yesterday I found out that Periwinkle snails in the Ocean which you can easily harvest a few quarts worth fairly quickly in any tidal pool are not native to Maine.  They were also introduced…From Scotland in the 1800s.  Reports vary wether they arrived with ships ballast rocks or were introduced on purpose by Scottish Immigrants with an 8,000 year history of eating them in Scotland…  unlike shellfish, you do not need a permit or licensce to harvest and eat them…

Maine has the most restrictive laws in the country relating to tropical fish keeping, something the department seems to take excess pride in.

It is illegal to keep any tropical fish outside your house, so no outdoor ponds with fish, unless you have a fishing license and you keep specifically mentioned baitfish in them.

 

It is frustrating when you go to local fish shop and see all sorts of saltwater shrimps and snails for sale there..  The prohibition is only on freshwater.

 

and yes we have freshwater shrimp in Maine and they are legal to collect and keep in an aquarium, but not with any tropical fish.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Pepere