I need some kind of coldwater algea eater than can live with sturgeon, bowfin, lmb, and koi, so it has to be large. I dont want a pleco, as it will punture my pond liner and wont survive the winter.
Native algea eater.
- Thread starter Gearhead
- Start date
There isn't one, at least not one that will keep the pond clean. Lots of cyprinids eat algae- red-bellied dace, stonerollers, fathead minnows, golden shiners, hardheads- but only the last of these is big enough to survive with your brutes, and none of them scrape clean the surface the way the tropical algae-eating cats do. They will knock back filamentous and floating algae, but probably no better than your koi will by themselves.
You may have more luck with snails. Most native aquatic snails will eat algae and may survive in numbers in the tank unless your koi are very fond of them. Physids (left-handed pond snails or bladder snails), planorbids (ramshorns), lymnaeids (right-handed pond snails), and viviparids (live-bearing snails) are all good choices.
You may have more luck with snails. Most native aquatic snails will eat algae and may survive in numbers in the tank unless your koi are very fond of them. Physids (left-handed pond snails or bladder snails), planorbids (ramshorns), lymnaeids (right-handed pond snails), and viviparids (live-bearing snails) are all good choices.
I'm just looking for something that will keep algea from becoming a problem. The koi dont like snails but my red eared slider does. My current pond has algea covering the sides. What about a flannel mouth sucker, or a white sucker? I heard they're pretty big, but where do i get one?
Unfortunately nothing that gets big enough for your tankmates. Ive never come across a white sucker or have any idea on where to catch one
I had an eastern painted, but it escaped. I dont have room for any more. I think I'll just stick with the snails. Would the sturgeon eat the snails? Could i use apple snails and just bring a few inside every winter?
Alright, I guess I'll go get about 100 snails out of my grandpas creek. Dont know what they are, but they stay small and reproduce like crazy. I'll put about half of them in the bog filter, so I'll have a constant supply. Will the mosquito fish eat the eggs? I forgot to mention that there are also going to be a few channel cats in there, if it makes any difference.
Mosquitofish probably won't eat snail eggs, but may eat hatchling snails. Channel cats will eat anything. Still, you can probably keep a good snail population going with the overflow from your bogfilter so long as you don't have dedicated snailkillers such as pumpkinseeds or drum.
I suggest you get different kinds of snails from several sources. Creek snails often have low tolerance for pond conditions (low DO, temperature fluctuations). Pond and wetland snails are tougher.
I suggest you get different kinds of snails from several sources. Creek snails often have low tolerance for pond conditions (low DO, temperature fluctuations). Pond and wetland snails are tougher.