Ember Tetra feeding - Don't seem to eat any algae

[sandbrumby]

Hi

Newby fish keeper here. I've got a planted 35L tank with ember tetras which has been running for 12 months. Plants are growing and the fish are super active and healthy. I have their light on a short timer as the room they are in gets bright during the day. Algae coverage isn't horrific but could be better/less. I know ember tetras are supposed to be omnivores but mine only seem to eat what I give them. I'd like them to clean up the algae a bit and a bonus if they give the baby mystery snails a nibble too. What I want to know is how long I should wait between feeds if I want them to eat some of the algae in the tank. At the moment they are getting fed once a day with one fasting day a week. I'm scared I'll starve them!

Thanks for the advice

 

[GaryE]

Ember tetras (Hyphessobrycon amandae) are omnivores, but they primarily feed on small invertebrates that might be in algae, as well as plant matter. To my knowledge, they don't eat algae, and don't have the teeth to even try. They would pick through it if it contained anything worth eating. Mine didn't eat plants, but would look for decayed, dead vegetation, once it had become soft. That's a popular food choice with a lot of our smaller fish.

I'd also be surprised if they ate the young snails. Fish that do that usually need specialized jaws to crack even the young shells.

I'm sorry to say that you'll wait a long time to get embers to eat the algae in the tank. Even if they are dying of starvation, I don't think nature has equipped them to forage for snails and algae. It was a good idea, but alas, it won't work.

 

[seangee]

Embers won't reduce your visible algae. Neither will any other fish or inverts. The best course is to reduce the cause of the algae, if its too much light you could use curtains, cardboard on the sides of the tank or add floating plants. If its nutrients you could feed less (your tetras won't starve) or add more plants. Also make sure your substrate and filter media are clean. Since you say its not too bad and the tank is healthy you could simply sponge the glass when you do your weekly water changes. Most people do this.

 

[Archerfish]

As @seangee said, "Embers won't reduce your visible algae. Neither will any other fish or inverts. The best course is to reduce the cause of the algae, if its too much light you could use curtains, cardboard on the sides of the tank or add floating plants. If its nutrients you could feed less (your tetras won't starve) or add more plants. Also make sure your substrate and filter media are clean. Since you say its not too bad and the tank is healthy you could simply sponge the glass when you do your weekly water changes. Most people do this."

Yep, spot on! You won't stave them with once-a-day feeding. In nature, the 'food fairy' doesn't stop by with twice per day feedings.