What eats Thread/String Algae?

[hardscape]

My tank has some of it. Please help

I am a beginner here, my tank has pygmy cories, yamatos and cherries

[Urban Aquaria]

Your yamato shrimps and cherry shrimps would eat those algae... its just a matter or number of shrimps vs algae growth rate. Increasing the shrimp population + reducing excess light usually helps keep those types of algae at bay.

Not overfeeding and not feeding the shrimps also makes a big difference, it encourages them to focus on eating the algae (instead of just waiting for commercial foods).

[hardscape]

Your yamato shrimps and cherry shrimps would eat those algae... its just a matter or number of shrimps vs algae growth rate. Increasing the shrimp population + reducing excess light usually helps keep those types of algae at bay.

Not overfeeding and not feeding the shrimps also makes a big difference, it encourages them to focus on eating the algae (instead of just waiting for commercial foods).

Thanks for the quick and informative reply. Do otos eat thread algae as well?

Also, I have just received some plants from someone on this forum that have abit of black algae on them. Hence as a precaution, I might consider getting SAEs. Do SAEs eat baby shrimplets? and what is their max length?

[Urban Aquaria]

Thanks for the quick and informative reply. Do otos eat thread algae as well?

Also, I have just received some plants from someone on this forum that have abit of black algae on them. Hence as a precaution, I might consider getting SAEs. Do SAEs eat baby shrimplets? and what is their max length?

Otos don't eat thread algae, they only go for soft green or brown film algae.

If you happen to get plants that come with visible algae on them, its best to clean and treat the plants in a quarantine tank to clear out all the algae before adding into your tank. Once different algae species are introduced in your tank and get established, it'll become a big headache to get rid of them.

SAE do snack on shrimplets and can sometimes even harass adult shrimps too, so if you have expensive shrimps, SAE may create some issues. They can grow up to 15+ cm in length.

Although SAE do eat algae (and they do eat brush type algae too), its usually only when they are juvenile size and hungry... as they grow larger they tend to prefer eating commercial fish food, so most owners find their SAE ending up just waiting for feeding time rather than eating algae.

[hardscape]

Otos don't eat thread algae, they only go for soft green or brown film algae.

If you happen to get plants that come with visible algae on them, its best to clean and treat the plants in a quarantine tank to clear out all the algae before adding into your tank. Once different algae species are introduced in your tank and get established, it'll become a big headache to get rid of them.

SAE do snack on shrimplets and can sometimes even harass adult shrimps too, so if you have expensive shrimps, SAE may create some issues. They can grow up to 15+ cm in length.

Although SAE do eat algae (and they do eat brush type algae too), its usually only when they are juvenile size and hungry... as they grow larger they tend to prefer eating commercial fish food, so most owners find their SAE ending up just waiting for feeding time rather than eating algae.

Thank UA, didnt know all that before. Its alittle too late to quarantine the plants. How long of a blackout is needed to get rid of 100% algae in a tank without killing plants? I have always wanted to know the duration

[Urban Aquaria]

Thank UA, didnt know all that before. Its alittle too late to quarantine the plants. How long of a blackout is needed to get rid of 100% algae in a tank without killing plants? I have always wanted to know the duration

If algae issues get bad, you could try a 3 day blackout and see if it helps... otherwise extend to 5 days (or longer). There is no fixed number of days for such methods, just have to try and see. Btw, blackout method requires the entire tank to be covered until it's pitch dark inside, have to use thick opaque materials like cardboard box or multiple layers of garbage bags.

The thing with blackouts is that it doesn't get rid of 100% algae in the tank, it deals a blow to it and slows it growth, but even if they die off, there will usually still be small traces of it around along with dormant spores, so when the tank environment goes back to becoming suitable for its growth, the algae will tend to pop up again.

Some plants may deteriorate during blackouts, so depending on the type of plants, you are also limited by their sensitivity in terms of using blackouts to deal with algae.

The good news is, algae are plants themselves, if the conditions are not favourable for them, they will also have difficulty growing.... so if you have a nice balance of light, nutrients and Co2, along with lots of healthy growing plants which can outcompete the algae, it shouldn't be an issue.

Problem is it's easy to say "keep lights, nutrients and Co2" balanced, but in reality it's difficult to consistently maintain that balance. So if possible, it's always better to try avoiding the introduction of algae in the first place, save all the extra hassle.

[atwin]

To highlight, SAE would eat moss too. They not only cleared my algae but also keeping my taiwan moss in a botak state. 😂

[Urban Aquaria]

To highlight, SAE would eat moss too. They not only cleared my algae but also keeping my taiwan moss in a botak state. 😂

Yeah, my fissidens were also munched on by SAE until only thin strands left... same experience with red nose shrimps too. Both are good algae eaters, but also good moss eaters.

[hardscape]

Yeah, my fissidens were also munched on by SAE until only thin strands left... same experience with red nose shrimps too. Both are good algae eaters, but also good moss eaters.

Thanks, will take note of my taiwan moss in the tank. Are SAEs good shrimplet eaters too? Just added a few into my 2ft shrimp breeding tank. I only have one berried dark blue kk shrimp, dont want the SAEs to have a quick seafood snack

[Urban Aquaria]

Thanks, will take note of my taiwan moss in the tank. Are SAEs good shrimplet eaters too? Just added a few into my 2ft shrimp breeding tank. I only have one berried dark blue kk shrimp, dont want the SAEs to have a quick seafood snack

Larger sized SAE will catch and eat shrimplets, i've seen it happen in my tank... they will also harass adult shrimps and nip at them too, so it causes stress to the shrimps.

If you want your shrimp population to increase, best to transfer the SAE out to another tank or give them away.

[hardscape]

Larger sized SAE will catch and eat shrimplets, i've seen it happen in my tank... they will also harass adult shrimps and nip at them too, so it causes stress to the shrimps.

If you want your shrimp population to increase, best to transfer the SAE out to another tank or give them away.

Alright thank you so much. I have just read your website, where can I get some microfex worms to culture?

[Urban Aquaria]

Alright thank you so much. I have just read your website, where can I get some microfex worms to culture?

I'll be make a few starter cultures available soon (once i further increase the population of my own microfex culture), will post them up for collection when they are ready.

[hardscape]

I'll be make a few starter cultures available soon (once i further increase the population of my own microfex culture), will post them up for collection when they are ready.

Alright please let me know when you do. Thanks again for the knowledge and advice, provided the much needed help being a beginner hobbyist

[Guiderer]

i think the best bet would be malayan shrimps. (my tank is red cherries)

my "mini" tank was heavily infested with these algae. tank walls, rocks/wood surfaces were heavily populated by them. due to this is a "nice" display tank in my office, the sight of these algaes affects the aesthetic purpose greatly!

after some research i went to to get an army of malayan shrimps and within a week, the less populated areas are void of thread algae, heavily "forested" areas has been trimmed to length of not more than 1cm.

** If you were to find in seaview, they are not on display, ask the guys who "packs" the fishes for it, they will go to the back and get it.
(the 50pcs that i've got, had about 15 berried moms!)

[hardscape]

i think the best bet would be malayan shrimps. (my tank is red cherries)

my "mini" tank was heavily infested with these algae. tank walls, rocks/wood surfaces were heavily populated by them. due to this is a "nice" display tank in my office, the sight of these algaes affects the aesthetic purpose greatly!

after some research i went to to get an army of malayan shrimps and within a week, the less populated areas are void of thread algae, heavily "forested" areas has been trimmed to length of not more than 1cm.

** If you were to find in seaview, they are not on display, ask the guys who "packs" the fishes for it, they will go to the back and get it.
(the 50pcs that i've got, had about 15 berried moms!)

Thanks, how much are the malayan shrimps? Do they sell per piece?

[atwin]

If i could recall, seaview selling 100pcs for $24 and 50pcs for $12. Take note of their size is larger than your current shrimps.

[hardscape]

If i could recall, seaview selling 100pcs for $24 and 50pcs for $12. Take note of their size is larger than your current shrimps.

Will they jump out of the tank like ghost shrimps? And are their shrimplets like the ones of ghost shrimp or of dwarf shrimps?

[Guiderer]

Thanks, how much are the malayan shrimps? Do they sell per piece?

did not asked for individual price as i wanted an army!
current price at seaview is 50pcs @ $16, 100pcs @$25.
there's a signboard beside the tanks with packed shrimps, but the prices are outdated, best is to ask the packers there

[Guiderer]

If i could recall, seaview selling 100pcs for $24 and 50pcs for $12. Take note of their size is larger than your current shrimps.

yeah, take note of their adult size. my tank of cherries normally hides in my driftwood cave (normally berried moms hides there).
after i introduced this army in, they flushed out my berried cherries, and the berried malayan overtook that area, they are easily 1.5 to 2x the size of cherries

Will they jump out of the tank like ghost shrimps? And are their shrimplets like the ones of ghost shrimp or of dwarf shrimps?

did not notice them jump out. their shrimplets are smaller than shrimplets of cherries.