snails and algae

[suemack]

hi - I need some help please

do the larger snails eat algae but not plants .....and would keyholes try to eat them (they're rather partial to the little pond snails that came with the plants.

I have a couple of baby keyholes in one of my tanks that have been no problems - for the last 5 months peacefully living with guppies, ottos and cories BUT all of a sudden they have decided to move the gravel round and have been constantly giving the ottos a very hard time to the point that I moved the ottos (they were showing real signs of being stressed)

The ottos in their new tank are settling down and feeding again but would like to put something in where the keyholes are - which is planted, mainly java fern and water sprite - to help with the algae on the sides and back

I know nothing about snails...........and the only ones at the lfs are some they call apple snails - they keep them in cold water tanks with goldfish and tell me they are fine in a tropical tank

any advice would be really appreciated thanks - sue

 

[Alien Anna]

I'm not sure a snail would be very helpful for keeping algae down - that is usually best treated by getting rid of the algae-producing nutrients (with regular water changes etc).

Keyholes would probably try to eat an apple snail. Apple snails are tropical snails, btw and should not be kept in cold water tanks (poor things - must be freezing their tentacles off! ).

 

[suemack]

Thanks Anna

Had heard that the larger snails were mighty algae munchers but love my planted tanks

All my tanks get a "little overfed" ) ....the guppies grow well with a plentiful food supply - so am already a bit fanatical about w/changes - done every 2nd day and if there are young fry small w/changes every day. It's the ) overfeeding that's the problem as far as my algae is concerned

is there anything else that eats algae ?- I'm not keen on the idea of chemical control

thanks - sue

 

[Alien Anna]

Over feeding and over-stocking are common causes of algae, as is an excess of nitrates and phosphates in your tap water (its worth checking out the tap water for nitrates at least).

I haven't found anything that eats algae in sufficient quantities to reduce the level, although several of my fish help keep it to bareable proportions.

SAEs are great algae eaters (although mine prefers pretending its a guppy and eating bloodworms and flake). They are large, schooling fish, however, so you need plenty of space. I've got some more coming tomorrow (Hooray! ) SAEs would be compatible with gentler cichlids and do take up the middle area of your tank which seems fairly bare at the moment. False SAEs are often easier to get hold of. They will eat some algae but won't eat hair algae like the true SAEs.

Bristlenosed plecs are good algae eaters, very tolerant of different water conditions and compatible with smaller, non-vicious cichlids. You could have a pair of them in your tank without difficulty, I think.

Mollies will eat green algae (if its fresh and juicy) but maybe a bit too territorial with the cichlids.

I suspect your ottos might be too shy and timid to cope with your cichlids - SAEs or bristlenoses would probably be a bit tougher and more able to stand up for themselves. A golden apple snail, if you'd like one (they are fun little shelled octopuses, I reckon) would be ideal in your otto tank.

If you decide to go for the bristlenoses, do put some bogwood in the tank for them to nibble on. They need the roughage.