Tank-Pleco=Algae or what?

[mgk]

too much light + nutrient rich water(probably unhealthy)= algae....
fix those two things and you won't have algae. Also note if one of those is very off it can cause algae by itself even if they other is ok.

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say you pleco dying may indicate poor water quality.

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Plecos are very overrated for keeping tanks clean. As has been said, they're bio monsters not cleaners. I have my plecs because i like them not because i thought they'd be beneficial.

Good choice on bristlenoses though. They do like their algae. I setup a tank a couple of months ago just to grow tiny albino bristlenose from different stores in and see if they breed (accidently bred normal ones many years ago, hope it happens again!) and there's no trace of any algae in that tank at all.

 

[siebertn]

too much light + nutrient rich water(probably unhealthy)= algae....
fix those two things and you won't have algae. Also note if one of those is very off it can cause algae by itself even if they other is ok.

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say you pleco dying may indicate poor water quality.

Unfortunately my tank is located in a room that gets lots of natural sunlight so i just want to prevent algae in the tank.

I doubt my water isn't in good condition i do 2 x 50% to 70% water changes weekly my sump and FX5 is loaded with bio my Amonia is 0, nitrites 0 and nitrate is less than 5ppm as it barely shows up on my tests.

But thanks for the input.

 

[MonsterMinis]

I like plecos.. my royal, flash, and whiptail are all fun to see.. they do like their algae but thats not why I got them. If you wnat to avoid algae.. surprized this hasn't been mentioned. You can try live plants, either planted, tired to DW, or in "pots" in your tank to help suck up the nutrients the algae is utilizing into something abit more astetically pleasing..

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I've been having good luck lately removing algae from my tanks by throwing in a few Nerite snails. They move so slowly that my fish don't even bother them. That and the fact that they keep most of their body in their shells so nothing tasty to a fish is sticking out.

 

[SteveR]

How do you guys control algae in your tanks without the help of a Pleco or is the algae eating reputation of the Pleco over rated.

The reason im asking is because my Pleco mysteriously died this week and i don't think i want to get another one especially if i don't need one in my tank.

Plecs aren't janitors or algae cleaners. There is still great ignorance about this. Yes some do eat algae, and some do it better than others (commons get lazy as they age and don't) however their diets should be wild and varied. See the plec dietry thread in the Catfish forum in the plecs section if you really want to know how to care for these cool fish...

 

[upyor]

Theres a medicine you can put in once a day for 3-5 days. i forgot the name of the medicine but you can ask your lfs and theyll know what it is. it cleared up my 120gallon algae problem in just 2 days.

 

[tcarswell]

I just run a mag float and keep my water as clean as possible. Most of my tanks have bichirs which don't work well with plecs.

 

[gomezladdams]

I have alot of plecos but its because I like them.IME a tank is going to have algae because something is out of balance.I dont see enough algae in all 40 of my tanks to keep 1 dwarf bn pleco fed.

 

[tcarswell]

I have alot of plecos but its because I like them.IME a tank is going to have algae because something is out of balance.I dont see enough algae in all 40 of my tanks to keep 1 dwarf bn pleco fed.

Some tap water is semi rich in phosphates and nitrates and other tanks get a little bit of sunlight making it almost impossible to dodge completely.