Spot Algae eater

**SamLam** · 2nd Dec 2005, 17:03

I just setup a 3ft tank 2 weeks ago, but there is too much spot algae on the glass and hard to clean it up with my magnet brush because of the grass....very irritating... any bro know how to solve this problem with yours experience?

CO2 is ok, and lighting is 8 hours a day...any natural solutions to the above mentioned?

thanks a million for your favourable reply. :P

**pantroglodytes** · 2nd Dec 2005, 17:17

We used to throw in snails to clear up those stubborn algae...and once they were gone, throw in snail eaters...a bit cruel lah..but you accomplish the objective...

**SamLam** · 2nd Dec 2005, 17:20

wa....so cruel....but is a good method la i guess....thanks bro.

will the snail eat my grass too? and any pics for snail eater??

**pantroglodytes** · 2nd Dec 2005, 17:39

mmm...pufferfishes are good

I rear them..you can get them cheap at LFS like 1.50 a piece...about 4cm or you can use those snail killer chemicals..not too sure about this one though..the other brothers should be able to help you...

The thing about using puffers is that when the tank is free of snails, I feed my puffers now with live catfish fry and occasionally brine shrimps...or beg the bros in the forum to pass me snails loh...

**SamLam** · 2nd Dec 2005, 18:06

oic, yaya, one things more brother, which type of snail should i buy??

**pantroglodytes** · 2nd Dec 2005, 19:20

Originally Posted by SamLam

oic, yaya, one things more brother, which type of snail should i buy??

Eh, don't need to buy snails lah! Just ask from the brothers here...there are some bros here they don't like snails in their tanks...dont get those malayan trumpet snails..shell is conical shaped..

get those that look like garden snails...puffers can eat those

Spinex (one of the brothers) has quite a bit of snails..you can look for him

**|squee|** · 2nd Dec 2005, 20:59

Increase your phosphate/phosphorous levels in the water. If you're not dosing via chemicals, you may increase your phosphate level by intentionally feeding a little bit more to your fish.

**Justikanz** · 2nd Dec 2005, 23:19

Somehow dun think it is nice to introduce snails to eat algae, then find something to eat them when their 'job' is done.

If you dun wanna adjust the feeding/fertilization/water changes etc, then I suggest that you get a couple of ornamental snails. Then at least you dun have to worry about them over-populating and then having to kill them later! Try the Zebra snails or the Horned Nerite snails.

**aquarius** · 2nd Dec 2005, 23:42

Like what Justikanz said, get a couple of ornamental snails but one species each so that they can't reproduce. They look nice, get the job done and best of all you won't have a big headache of them multiplying like crazy!! Also you don't need to bother about using puffers to get rid of them and later don't know what to do with the puffers when the job of getting rid of the snails are done. That's what i did.

**Barbarik** · 3rd Dec 2005, 00:06

Best snail in clearing algae from the tank walls is zebra snail. Other types of snails do not do a good job but are nothing like pest as they might destroy the plants.

**taz_boy** · 3rd Dec 2005, 11:14

any idea where to get zebra snails....cos i facing that irritating spot algae on my glass too...

**Thirteen** · 3rd Dec 2005, 16:16

introduce any kind of algae crew u can think of.. SAEs..ottos..shrimps..snails are actually the best cause they're quite objective. They eat algae..I dun mind them in my tank coz after having them in, no more algae on the glass. really very effective. Their high spawn rate also increase the speed of clearing the glass. Dont really have to kill them after ur glass is cleared. just dump excess snails into some drain or pond.

**Justikanz** · 3rd Dec 2005, 22:30

Thirteen, dun get me started (again)... Just 'scolded' someone from another thread on dumping snails into our drains...

Please try to protect out already very fragile and damaged natural environment...

That done, Taz, most LFS have zebras for sale... Erm... Try C328 when you are at NUS again lah... Aunty usually have some mixed with the nerites. If no zebra, the nerites are also good...

**taz_boy** · 3rd Dec 2005, 22:35

Originally Posted by Justikanz

Thirteen, dun get me started (again)... Just 'scolded' someone from another thread on dumping snails into our drains...

Please try to protect out already very fragile and damaged natural environment...

That done, Taz, most LFS have zebras for sale... Erm... Try C328 when you are at NUS again lah... Aunty usually have some mixed with the nerites. If no zebra, the nerites are also good...

alright thanks, meanwhile will try balance my water para to fix that irritating algae prob

**kemp** · 3rd Dec 2005, 22:53

SAE does quite a great job too.
had them in my tank to clear my hair algae and they did a great job.
algae on the side of my tank, starting to clear up too after introducing less than 2 days
great!

Originally Posted by Thirteen

introduce any kind of algae crew u can think of.. SAEs..ottos..shrimps..snails are actually the best cause they're quite objective. They eat algae..I dun mind them in my tank coz after having them in, no more algae on the glass. really very effective. Their high spawn rate also increase the speed of clearing the glass. Dont really have to kill them after ur glass is cleared. just dump excess snails into some drain or pond.