Algae control

[MaineiacJay]

What do you all use for algae control in your bichir tanks? I have a planted 55 gallon (upgrading as soon as I can find a 125 gallon for cheapish) planted community tank. It has 3 bichir (9", 8" & 6"), a 6" knife, 2 lg angels and a few other fish (congo tetras, giant senior and pearl gouramis).

I have quite a few plant and for the plants, I have a large light fixture with 4 bulbs (used to be for the saltwater tank). As you can imagine, I'm getting a lot of algae growth.

I've read that bichir can't be kept with plecos and I know when my senegal was smaller, he actually chomped in snails.

What do you do to keep the algae down? I can scrape the sides, but when it's on the driftwood and plants is where it gets difficult...

 

[kno4te]

Plecos are hit and miss. I don't risk any in my tank. No flag tails, snails, otos, or algae eaters. Always lost them in the past. But most of the time I scrub my tank. Wc's every 2-3 days and don't overfeed. Got a uv as well.

 

[MaineiacJay]

There is a large Chinese algae eater that I *think* might survive. How are they? If they survive that is? Or do they pick on bichir?

As far as plecos, I'm wondering if I got a large one, one that would stand no chance in being eaten, if that would be possible? At least until the bichir catch up? Do plecos pick on bichir at all?

 

[kno4te]

I think a Chinese algae eater will be fine if bigger than the bichir and wider than its mouth. It'll eventually get eaten. Don't hear to much about them sucking on bichir slime coats.

Plecos can be kept with bichirs. It's sometimes will suck on a bichir and sometime it don't. As long as wider than its mouth then should be ok. Some members on here able to do it. I think it's a feeding issue.

 

[MaineiacJay]

I'll try the pleco then, I can get a large enough one that the bichir munching it won't be an issue, as long as the plecos are nice to my bichir.... Chinese algae eaters are harder to come by at a larger size...

 

[moe214]

With plecos, it usually ends up happening for people who expect them to only eat algae, and they simply need more nutrients than that.nso they get hungry and resort to other things, such as a fish who doesn't realize much of a problem with the pleco sucking on it till it's dead. Chinese algae eaters are known for sucking on slow fish in general and being fairly aggressive, though they're typically kept in a community setting, they get around 6 inches and fairly thick, however a thick 12"+ bichir would be able to eat one Imo. And that's if the algae eater doesn't cause the problem of sucking on the bichir which I think it will honestly.

 

[jaws7777]

i keep an l200 with mine and no issues (definitely just jinxed it) research the pleco you choose to go with some are down right nasty.

Don't have a UV but i would definitely go that route as k4note suggested

 

[Dr.B]

I would be careful with plecos. Especially don't go with a bigger one. Bigger ones are usually common plecos which are usually the ones everyone complains about. While it is possible to keep them together, you have to keep the pleco well fed. The pleco usually only explores the bichirs slimecoat in the interest of being hungry. Once it finds that as a food source though, I would remove the pleco as it'll just keep going back. Basically even if you keep it well fed there's still a chance. So just keep it full and monitor your bichirs. Once you notice any signs of the pleco eating slimecoat I would remove the pleco just to be safe.

 

[jaws7777]

is there something different about the polys slime coat vs other fish ?

I would be careful with plecos. Especially don't go with a bigger one. Bigger ones are usually common plecos which are usually the ones everyone complains about. While it is possible to keep them together, you have to keep the pleco well fed. The pleco usually only explores the bichirs slimecoat in the interest of being hungry. Once it finds that as a food source though, I would remove the pleco as it'll just keep going back. Basically even if you keep it well fed there's still a chance. So just keep it full and monitor your bichirs. Once you notice any signs of the pleco eating slimecoat I would remove the pleco just to be safe.

 

[Dr.B]

No it's just that Polys tend to be logs compared to other fish. Easier to catch. They also will just sit there and get pushed around sometimes. Other fish will usually dart away.