What can I do

[smb7676]

Hey guys
My 10 gal has started to come down with hair algea. Right now it has 6 amber tetreas( a total of like 3 inches) I also have 2 rasboros just for now cuz it looked really empty. I want to get 2 rams for the tank. I have read I can have 16 inches of fish in the tank but I really just want the tetreas and the rams. But I also need a small algea eater. I know what ones I could get if this where happening in the big tank, but with this in the small one I need something that will stay small but eat the stuff. It also should like or not be bothered by a bit of current.

 

[ruffneck]

You need to get the otto algae eaters for your tank they only get to 1"-2". Stay away from the chinese alage fish also known as the flying fox fish they get to be 6" long i've had a pet shop owner lie about there size before and ended up with a really big fish lol. and I don't recommend 2 rams for a 10gallon. they will probably be agressive toward each other. its strongly recommend to only have 1 ram for 10gallons so if you want a pair you should have 20gallon tank.

 

[pendragon]

Ottos are spiffy algae-eaters, and just the right size for a 10-gallon tank. Platys will typically eat hair algae, as will most snails. You don't want a pleco, SAE, CAE, etc. because they're really too big for the tank (actually, you don't want a CAE regardless of tank size).

Let's talk stocking.

You should probably consult a real cichlid person, but I am 99.9% sure anyone familiar with rams will tell you that a 10-gallon is just too darn small. They might survive in it, but they won't be happy in it. If you get two males, they may kill each other; if you get a male/female pair, they may kill everything else in the tank when they spawn. It's just a bad idea. There's not enough room.

And you probably *could* keep 16 inches of (small) fish in a 10-gallon, but only if you're diligent about maintenance and water changes. If you're a beginner to fishkeeping, I would highly recommend you stop at 10-inches of fish and maintain that for a few months. Then if everything goes well, add a couple more inches of fish at a time until you work your way up to sixteen. Trust me, in a 10-gallon there's little room for error if your water parameters get out of whack. You could lose the whole tank in a short time. Be patient and work up to it!

pendragon!

 

[smb7676]

I have a 20 but it has 2 apistos in it. ( Books say up to 24 inches of fish but I stay on the safe side and so 15).My apistos stayed in the ten for a bit . I read that rams are a bit of a shy scared fish so that they should be kept with only small tetras.And the apistos don't care about the other fish in the 20. I also thought it said a pair in a ten.
I planned to get a m and f and just keep them with the tetras. You don't think that if I gave them plenty of places to hide they wouldn't be ok? I guess I'll do some more research? As far as tank mant. goes I do a water change 1 a week and do a big clen every other, after all the 10 is between the sink and the 20 so its just a short stop on the way. haha I also stay on top of my water stats.
As far as the otto goes I think that is a good fish to go with I just wasn't sure they would go for the hair algea.

Thanks

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i had a nasty case of hair algae for ages with my oto. the only thing i found to get rid of it were snails. but i've heard good things about rosy reds pigging out on hair algae; you may want to investigate getting two or three of those.

 

[smb7676]

but i've heard good things about rosy reds pigging out on hair algae;

Rosey Red never heard of it and not in my books. Can you give me any info?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

how's about the name "rosy barb"?

(ran across the recommendation in oddballs a few weeks ago.)

 

[FoundMoney]

My otos don't touch the hair algae in my tank. I suppose that's because there's plenty of soft, green algae for them to eat, plus their weekly supplements.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

pfft. i left mine in for months with absolutely no supplementary food beyond scavenged flake (which isn't much when you've only got guppies in with it). the hair algae just got worse and worse. i finally threw in every snail i could find in the other tank and it was pristine in a week.

my theory is that otos make a good maintenance crew, but don't eat enough to repair an infested tank.