Tank Emergency! Please share your knowledge!

[Kunersbettas]

I have a 54-Gallon bowfront that has been infested with an insane amount of algae. The fish are as follows:

1 Ropefish

4 Rainbowfish (3 Turquoise, 1 hybrid)

1 angelfish

1 SAE

My angelfish's fins are just decimated, not sure if it was caused by the other fish. My filter (an underwater canister, pretty poor performance) is soon to be replaced by an EHEIM canister filter. The tank is very heavily planted, so I doubt ammonia is the culprit.

On a side note, I previously have had 2 bristlenose plecos, and both have mysteriously vanished without a trace. The first disappearance occurred with a smaller female within her first 3 days, then, months later when I got a large male (3 inches), I would see him for 3 weeks, then he too, vanished. Most people would blame the ropefish, but he simply doesn't have a big enough mouth to swallow either, and being armored cats, he should have died eating them. If the male is a carcass lying around rotting, that would be cause for an ammonia spike, but there is so much plant matter, I don't see how that makes sense.

If a potential spike was the cause for the angelfish's loss of finnage, why are the rainbowfish unharmed. I will remove the angelfish from the tank nevertheless.

I have tried every algae eater that is a substantial size, and while the SAE is doing fine, he doesn't eat any algae off the panes, and barely cleans the plants. If anyone could suggest a solution, this would be really helpful.

My tank is a mess. I'm a mess right now too. (currently dealing with a family crisis and uncertainty about my education moving forward. If any of my brothers and sisters in Christ on the forum see this, please be praying for me and the tank)

Other info:

Ph: 8

Water temp: mid 70's

Nicrew plant spectrum light.

Here are some pictures, any help means the world to me right now.

 

[MrGibson]

What are your full parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate would be good, gh and kh too if you can test for that with what you have. Also how long ago did the pleco go missing and how long has this tank been running? 

Im far from an expert, but my initial thought on the algae issue is that algae eaters are a bandaid at this point and you likely have a nutrient issue or other imbalance that’s the root cause that really needs addressed. Could you share your light schedule and let us know if you’re dosing any fertilizers or anything? What’s your water change schedule and how much water are you changing?

[Kunersbettas]

On 9/5/2024 at 9:08 PM, MrGibson said:

What are your full parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate would be good, gh and kh too if you can test for that with what you have. Also how long ago did the pleco go missing and how long has this tank been running? 

Im far from an expert, but my initial thought on the algae issue is that algae eaters are a bandaid at this point and you likely have a nutrient issue or other imbalance that’s the root cause that really needs addressed. Could you share your light schedule and let us know if you’re dosing any fertilizers or anything? What’s your water change schedule and how much water are you changing?

No fertilizers. Lights come on at 6 AM -8 AM, then 4PM - 9PM. My Nitrite, Nitrate, and Ammonia have all historically been very low. I will retest and reply. The tank has been running for 1.5 years at this point, the pleco went missing a few months back. Algae types are brown (panes, some plants), Black spot (anubias leaves), and I think conferva (java fern). I will take a new water test now.

[Tlindsey]

On 9/5/2024 at 11:53 PM, Kunersbettas said:

I have a 54-Gallon bowfront that has been infested with an insane amount of algae. The fish are as follows:

1 Ropefish

4 Rainbowfish (3 Turquoise, 1 hybrid)

1 angelfish

1 SAE

My angelfish's fins are just decimated, not sure if it was caused by the other fish. My filter (an underwater canister, pretty poor performance) is soon to be replaced by an EHEIM canister filter. The tank is very heavily planted, so I doubt ammonia is the culprit.

On a side note, I previously have had 2 bristlenose plecos, and both have mysteriously vanished without a trace. The first disappearance occurred with a smaller female within her first 3 days, then, months later when I got a large male (3 inches), I would see him for 3 weeks, then he too, vanished. Most people would blame the ropefish, but he simply doesn't have a big enough mouth to swallow either, and being armored cats, he should have died eating them. If the male is a carcass lying around rotting, that would be cause for an ammonia spike, but there is so much plant matter, I don't see how that makes sense.

If a potential spike was the cause for the angelfish's loss of finnage, why are the rainbowfish unharmed. I will remove the angelfish from the tank nevertheless.

I have tried every algae eater that is a substantial size, and while the SAE is doing fine, he doesn't eat any algae off the panes, and barely cleans the plants. If anyone could suggest a solution, this would be really helpful.

My tank is a mess. I'm a mess right now too. (currently dealing with a family crisis and uncertainty about my education moving forward. If any of my brothers and sisters in Christ on the forum see this, please be praying for me and the tank)

Other info:

Ph: 8

Water temp: mid 70's

Nicrew plant spectrum light.

Here are some pictures, any help means the world to me right now.

 

How does the water in the aquarium smell? If there are any dead fish carcasses the water will smell foul. I suggest doing a water change asap. I suggest not feeding the fish for a day or two. 

[Kunersbettas]

On 9/5/2024 at 9:15 PM, Tlindsey said:

How does the water in the aquarium smell? If there are any dead fish carcasses the water will smell foul. I suggest doing a water change asap. I suggest not feeding the fish for a day or two. 

I will do one as soon as possible, but that would have to be Saturday. Very busy. I am a student that works on campus and doesn't return home until late. But I will try for Saturday or Friday night. As for the test results, everything came up as the minimum, 0ppm on Nitrate, trite, and ammo. My test kit may be expired. The aquarium smells like your typical aquarium smell. Slightly earthy/planty with a hint of...fish.

[Tlindsey]

On 9/6/2024 at 12:27 AM, Kunersbettas said:

The aquarium smells like your typical aquarium smell. Slightly earthy/planty with a hint of...fish.

That's great .

 

[Kunersbettas]

Any algae eating recommendations.

[Pepere]

On 9/6/2024 at 9:26 PM, Kunersbettas said:

Any algae eating recommendations.

Maybe lots of ranch dressing or blue cheese to mask the taste….  But I wouldnt want to try it…

 

But seriously, I havent been terribly impressed with algae eating livestock to control algae…

 

I know I sound like a broken record, but I had much more success reading studying and implementing techniques described on the 2 hr aquarist web site than following the “balance lights and nutrients and get algae eating livestock” mantra…

 

I actually had success with the former as opposed to no success with the latter…

The quote below says itwell….

 

”

Plants that are growing robustly produce an array of anti-microbial chemicals; various  alkaloids, terpenes, phenolics, as a defence against pathogens and microbes. Plants will prioritize defending the valuable new leaves first, as these newest leaves are optimized and adapted to the current environment and contribute the most. Leaves have limited plasticity, so older leaves have limited ability to be adapted to new environments. Parallel to this, the plant may draw reserve energy and nutrients from older leaves to fund the growth of new leaves. The bigger the change in environment, the more we see this in play. As the plant abandon defending the older leaves, metabolites leak from the leaf margins and attract algae to spawn.”

 

While the exact mechanism of plant defences and algae triggers can be complicated, the useful observation is this: Old or unhealthy leaves attract algae, while robustly grown, fresh new leaves are algae resistant. While hobbyists have been obsessed with correlating particular nutrients or parameters with algae growth, the far more common trigger for algae in most tanks is unhealthy/old leaves which plants have given up defending. Plants sacrifice old growth when they are under adaptation stress or not getting their needs fulfilled.”

[Tony s]

On 9/6/2024 at 9:26 PM, Kunersbettas said:

Any algae eating recommendations

Sae for stringy algae. Bristlenose or snails for surface algae. And just because you would want them. They help with the algae. But they don’t completely remove it.

[johnnyxxl]

Algae eating pets help control the small amounts.  If you have a large outbreak it's going to need balancing the parameters to help your plants out compete the algae.  I do that by adding fertilizer to my tank.

[lefty o]

looks like the angel has fin rot. doesnt appear to have been done by other fish.