Livebearer Cleanup Crew

[skiltrip]

I haven't had livebearers since I was a kid, I forgot how much they love to eat the algae off of glass and plants!
Are they all like this.

I've struggled for ever and a day with mild brown algae and mild green algae. Not enough to be a problem, but enough to make me have to scrape my glass often and to give all my rocks a brown paintjob.

The mollies and swordtails just non-stop are picking away at all this algae. I love it.

 

[Paradise3]

My livebearers don't seem to like picking at the algae (when i have any visible). They mainly wait for the flakes or whatever other food i'm feeding them go in.

 

[skiltrip]

My livebearers don't seem to like picking at the algae (when i have any visible). They mainly wait for the flakes or whatever other food i'm feeding them go in.

My swords and mollies are pooping like CRAZY. Is this because they are nonstop munching on the algae or is this a usual thing with livebearers?

 

[hughessomefish]

mine never ever eat the algae.they avoid it

 

[onebto]

Yep mine are at the algie all the time, then they help there selves to more than there share of food, then they make more waste than any other fish in my tank be honest I wish I had not brought Platy's I may have to get rid of them! Another good idea of the wife's bless her .

 

[Paradise3]

Could be because they are eating the algae but don't know mine don't poop alot but each livebearer to their own. Mine are fat as ever because of lots of little fins inside them.

 

[OldMan47]

Right you are Skiltrip. My livebearers are almost all enthusiasts when it comes to eating algae. The X spendens and X eisenii are both great at eating algae. Other wild type livebearers also make their way in a domesticated tank by eating their own weight in algae.

 

[buckrene]

mine love the algae tabs for my pleco, my bristlenose has to fight them off, so i resort into breaking them into pieces so everyone can have some