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Need an Algae Eater

1K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Taboo 
#1 ·
I have algae growing in all three of my tanks and I'd like to get something to take care of that for me!

I bought a mystery snail a week ago, but he died yesterday. So first I'd like to get to the bottom of why he died, and from there determine something that would be more appropriate for my tanks..

Water perimeters are 0 ppm ammonia. 0 ppm nitrates. between 30 & 40 ppm nitrites (all tanks are NP) and 8.2 pH :-?

The temps in all of my tanks are 80 (10 gal) , 78 (10 gal), and 75 (1.5 gal).

The first four days the snail spent his time in the 80F 10 gal and seemed fine. Thursday he spent a lot of time at the top, half in and half out of the water..

I put him in my 1.5 gal bowl on Thursday and he landed on his back. I pushed him over and went to sleep. Friday morning he was on his back again and just looked weird. I pushed him over again and went to school. Got home and he was on his back again so I put him back in the 80F 10 gal where he landed on his back again. I pushed him over and when I woke up today he was in the same spot as last night so I picked him out and put him in a bag to be thrown away :-( I did not see the fish in the small tank attack him but it's possible.

I'm wondering if anyone can give me a "diagnosis". I would like to buy another algae eater, but I want to be more prepared this time. I am thinking my options would be another mystery snail, a nerite snail (would have to order offline..), or ghost or cherry shrimp.
 
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#3 ·
I just rechecked my tank's nitrates and it read 10 ppm, while some water that had been in a cup for a while tested 30-40 ppm

I had done a water change the day before I tested the tank for the first time. Perhaps that resulted in the difference?
 
#4 ·
Your 1.5 is too small to fit any type of algae-eater in it. Your ten gals could probably house a school of 4-5 otocinclus in each of them, depending on how many fish you already have in them, but even then that's already pushing it a lot. I think there are certain types of algae-eating shrimp. You could look into that. Definitely don't get a pleco of any type, though. They produce lots of waste and get REALLY big.
 
#8 ·
scrubbing brush work best in my experience. And/or light/phosphate adjustment.

Otherwise, otos are cute as but high-maintenance. Snails and shrimp are useful, but of course, often sensitive. Plecs are messy buggers as I have learnt recently haha.
 
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