Green Hair Algea

[DeadlyAlliance]

Hey guys im starting to have green hair algea grow on my plants. I try to reduce the time the lights are on but it still didnt help. Everytime i go to the fish store they dont want to sell me algea eating fish because i have baby mollies. My mollys are 2 months old and are about 1 1/2 inches some are smaller. I know not to get plecos or whatever they are called because they grow big. I have a 46 gallon tank its been set up for 3 months. I really dont want to use chemicals im willing to try anything as long as my fishes dont get eaten or hurt. I heard that snails reproduce to quickly so if this is true i really dont want to have snails eveywhere. Any help would be great. Thanx guys.

 

[yvez9]

try otos, they only gros to 2 inches

 

[newfishies]

i have 3 day old molly fry and my ottos ignore them...

 

[DeadlyAlliance]

Thanx guys for your replies. I will buy some otos today. Is there a specific amount that i have to buy for my 46 gallon tank?

 

[sylvia]

They should be kept in groups of at least 3 so buy as many as you want but don't over-do it as they need live algae to thrive and if you keep too many they won't be finding enough once the algae has all mostly been eradicated. Bristlenose plecos only grow to 5" - not all plecos are huge and bristlenoses are good algae eaters. Otos are still the best option for your tank though.

 

[DeadlyAlliance]

Thax Sylvia.

 

[Slyspy]

Otos will not eat hair algae, green or otherwise, so I wouldn't bother. I have a green hair algae on the anubias in my tank and the otos ignore it completely. I suggest removing the worst by hand, reducing the lighting to eight or ten hours a day and introducing more fast growing plants to use up the nutrients. I added the floating plant Salvinia Natanas which is fast growing and provides some shade. This has encouraged the growth of my anubias and discouraged the growth of the hair algae, though it has not disappeared completely. You may also want to turn of any aeration that you have running.

 

[scottminot]

I bought a few red claw crabs about a week ago for my 10 gallon planted tank and have seen them grazing on my hair algae a lot. I have some otto's in there too but they really don't touch the hair algae. I have some male guppies in the tank as well and they pick at the hair algae too.

 

[DeadlyAlliance]

Thanx guys the algea eaters i bought dont seem to do much. I dont think there otos they are like long about 3 inches and they sort of have like spots when you see them stuck on the glass.

 

[Final Dynazty]

you cant really remove hair algae get an algea eating shrimp they will handle it.

 

[Final Dynazty]

oh and ur light should only be on for at most 4 hours a day. 10 hours is way to much trust me i work at a LFS.

 

[DeadlyAlliance]

Where do i get the algea eating shrimp?

 

[enchanted]

oh and ur light should only be on for at most 4 hours a day. 10 hours is way to much trust me i work at a LFS.

Before making a statement about hours please research. In a planted tank lights should be on 10 to 12 hours a day.

The most Popular Algae Eating Shrimp are Amano Shrimp and Cherry Shrimp.

Also, Siamese Algae Eaters are the only fish Algae Eaters I know of that eat Hair Algae. These are NOT Chinese Algae Eaters and make sure to not get them confused.

 

[Eve]

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[DeadlyAlliance]

Yeah thanx guys and yeah that dude did scare me when he said that. 4 hours is not enough for a heavy planted tank.