Fresh Water Algae Eaters

I have found the answer to my algae problem in my salt water tank ( the giant zebra turban snail ) I have a 10 gallon nano & he has almost cleaned the tank of both green & red algae in a week. I purchased seaweed carpets for him to foreage on when he needs more food.

My problem lies with my fresh water tanks. My algae eaters live for months or so & then, for no apparent reason, die. I had 2 plecos in one tank. I don't know what the ones in my 30 gallon discus were called.

The nitrates are fine. Now, my 30 is just about algae free. Maybe they starved. My 10 gallon was still full of algae yet, over a period of time, they both died.

What is the best algae cleaner for a fresh water tank with plastic plants,substrate & glass ( all different kinds of algae ). My LPS suggested otocinclus or Hillstream loaches.What are your thoughts ?

 

I use a pleco in a 75 Gal, they usually live for a year or two, then I buy another. Not sure why yours would be dying so soon. By far the best algae control for freshwatr that I've used.

 

Buy a pleco. Supplement with an algae wafer every week or two. It'll live much longer that way.

 

I can't keep any type of fish in my FW without my frog eating them (I do keep fish, but not ones I plan on keeping ). I use snails. Golden Apples (which it eats eventually) and these smaller "trapdoor snails". At least that's what the LFS called them. About the size of a marble or a die (dice). Frog doesn't seem to bother this variety at all.

 

Plants

These fresh water snails eat algae & not plants ? Do they multiply rapidly ? Some fresh water snails can make a niisance of themselves.

 

If you have Discus the only plecostumus you would want in the tank would be bristlenose pleco's they only get about 4 inches and are good with Discus fish. they are in my opinion the best pleco's for all F.W. tanks.

 

I have seen baby golden apples before, but they never last long... IME, nuisance FW snails are the small variety. Golden Applies are about size of a golf ball (little smaller) and haven't been nuisance... but to be fair, my frog does eat them eventually. I have never seen the trapdoor snail have babies crawling in the tank... That's my oldest snail now...


So, I'd say in these two examples, the answer is no.


No experience keeping them with plants... someone else will have to answer that.

 

I have red cherry shrimp in my FW tank with plants. They've dominated all algae thus far, and all decaying plants. They've also gone from a population of 10, to around 70 in 2-3 months. Id recommend getting some off of ebay. That's where I've gotten mine and I'm satisfied so far with them.

 

Try nerite snails. they dont reproduce unless they are in brackish water. I have them in my 90 gallon african cichlid tank and they work wonders.