Bronze Catfish

[crazyaussie]

Hi i went to the pet shop today and they were selling a cat fish called bronze catfish they were $4.50 so i bought 2 there really cool and i needed something to eat my alge there like vacums lol

 

[jollysue]

If they are indeed bronze Corys, they don't eat algae, although they may graze on some at times. They are an omnivore/insectavore.

This is a link to some of the variations of the bronze Cory/C. aeneus.
Bronze/ C. aeneus

 

[Lindsey88]

Nope they definatly don't eat algae. If you want something small to eat algae get some otocinclus.

 

[crazyaussie]

i dont understand

i have had them for a few weeks now and my algae has gone ( i cant see it on the glass anymore) so im not sure i have no other catfish but them

 

[jollysue]

Do you have a picture?

Algae eating catfish have sucker mouths. Are your catfish sucking on the side of the tank? Did you look at the pictures I posted a link to?

If they indeed are Corydoras Catfish "grazing" the algae off the tank sides, they may well be starving. While Corydoras will graze on some green and siphon sone green water, they cannot survive on only algae. They are not tank glass cleaners. They don't have the mouths to accomplish that.

 

[crazyaussie]

Ok

can u give me a list of some catfish that will eat alge

and its hard to feed my bronze i put food out and the guppy molly etc
eat it all i dont want them to die of starving i dont know what to do and i dont want to take them back

 

[jollysue]

If your algae is disappearing, what will the algae eater eat? Otos and BN Plecs are good algae eaters. Otos are sensitive and should be kept in a mature tank.

I you have other fish that you feed, the "bronze" or whatever it is is eating. If it is a Cory, drop some sinking catfish food in after lights out or even the flakes after lights out. If there is only one it will not eat very much. I would recommend that you try to ID the fish for sure.

Did you look at the link I posted? Is your bronze like them?

 

[crazyaussie]

yes the link you gave me looks just like mine and one more question

will my clown loaches eat the catfish pellets?

ok thanks for the link and for you help

 

[jollysue]

Yes the clowns will eat the catfish pellets. Did you use the tank lights less? I really don't know the answer to the mystery of the disappearing algae. But it is good that it is disappearing!

If I was short, forgive me sometimes I get, that way. I have no excuses.

 

[crazyaussie]

yes i have been using the lights off before i go to bed i put about 3 pellets in the tank and there happy

thank you so much jolly i thank u for helping me with this problem

 

[jollysue]

I am just so glad it is working! I always am anxious when trying to answer some of these questions. It is hard to see online. 8)

Algae is often controlled best by limiting the time the lights are on and the amount of food. Both of these are sources of algae blooms.

 

[crazyaussie]

yea about the lights it said in my aqua one 500 book to only use the lights for 8 hours witch is what im doing i bought A red tail albino shark it seem to go on the glass and it has a sucker on it mouth i think i solved my problem if that does not work ill have to use a chemical from the pet store

 

[jollysue]

Break the 8 hours into 2 segments with time between. I don't know much about sharks. But some are not a good mix with Corys as they mature. Corys are very shy and easily intimidated and stressed by aggressive tankmates.

If you go to the Plec forum next door they have lots of pics of suckermouths.

 

[crazyaussie]

yea but the shark is tiny if it does get nasty ill take it back to the shop but it all seems to be going well

 

[jollysue]

Here is the suckermouth of one of my Plecs

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