Massive brown algae attack in cichlid tank

**nuart** · 18th Mar 2012, 11:30

Hi all any advice on how to best remover brown algae in a rockscape cichlid tank ? Anybody used sea hem phosguard or any recommended product? Nitrates seems to be low in the tank, light is not excessive, must be silicate and phosphate?

**pufferlover** · 23rd Mar 2012, 13:15

hey there why not get a apple snail to do the job and it beautify it at the same time

**Young10** · 6th Apr 2012, 17:54

What sort of cichlids do you keep? I would prefer to use natural methods like what pufferlover recommends, even though I thought algae gives quite a natural feel to cichlids tanks.

**tetrakid** · 6th Apr 2012, 18:20

Why not get a few Golden Algae Eaters? They look like albinos, They are slim and small in size but very effective in eating a lot of brown algae. Don't underestimate these small little cuties. I tried it and is very satisfied with their superb performance in such a short time. Furthermore, they are so buddy-buddy with my Cory Sterbais too.

**xXXXx13** · 6th Apr 2012, 23:10

Golden algae eater can grow up quite sizeable eventually, unless you got a big enough tank to house it.

You might want to look at nerite snails to get rid of the brown algae but it can lay eggs that are quite hard to clear and unsightly.

**stormhawk** · 7th Apr 2012, 05:59

Snails in a cichlid tank can be a bad idea. Some Rift Lake cichlids are snail connoisseurs. They'll go to great lengths to murder any snail in the tank if they could. If you have mbuna from Lake Malawi, those will graze on the algae in the tank. See this page for more info:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/haps_vs_mbuna.php

**tetrakid** · 7th Apr 2012, 08:37

My Golden Algae Eaters are tiny, long and very agile fishes which can move swiftly in jerky movements, and are about 5cm when I bought them, and they hardly grow in spite of eating the voluminous brown algae in my tank. I have not seen them bigger than that in any lfs. Maybe I haven't seen the big ones you mentioned. In any case, they are so cheap that one can dispose of them if they really do grow big.

Originally Posted by xXXXx13

Golden algae eater can grow up quite sizeable eventually, unless you got a big enough tank to house it.

You might want to look at nerite snails to get rid of the brown algae but it can lay eggs that are quite hard to clear and unsightly.

**xXXXx13** · 7th Apr 2012, 09:04

My bad...didn't know that they'll go great length in doing that.

I've seen those that are 10-15cm long on sales recently and hope that it's not anyhow dispose of if eventually it grown too big for your tank. It's still a life.

Cheers.

**tetrakid** · 7th Apr 2012, 09:50

Maybe disposed of is the wrong term. What I meant was either giving it away, or selling it to big tank owners who will cherish them for eating up the algae in their big tanks, or anyone who loves them big.

Of course one should never rubbish any live fish, lol.

Originally Posted by xXXXx13

My bad...didn't know that they'll go great length in doing that.
I've seen those that are 10-15cm long on sales recently and hope that it's not anyhow dispose of if eventually it grown too big for your tank. It's still a life.
Cheers.

**hardric** · 7th Apr 2012, 11:37

Cheap fish are the hardest to give away. What happens if nobody wants it?
If the TS wants to just add chems instead of just fish (afterall, his tank's bioload might not be able to handle), can try Seachem Excel Flourish.
But ultimately it is to check why there is algae outbreak. Solve the problem at the core.

**tetrakid** · 7th Apr 2012, 12:00

Now my problem is not enough brown Algae to keep my little Golden Algae Eaters happy.

My tank was covered with thick brown Algae only last week. But now the tank is so clean that these poor little creatures look like starving, and they are joining my group of Cory Sterbais when I feed them Tubifex. They really get along very well with the Sterbais, just like they are one of them. Cute.

**Sgguppylover** · 10th Apr 2012, 18:13

i would recommend you to use those bristlenose to get rid of the algae present in your tank.Bristlenose are hardy and can be community tankmates with one another.Yes.I am sure that there must be too much dissolved substances in your tank such as phosphates to cause the massive algae in your tank.

**rognprisy** · 27th Apr 2012, 17:47

I'm using RowaPhos to remove both silicate and phosphate. This stuff works wonder.
But the price of this chemical media is not cheap.

Check out this http://www.reefdepot.com.sg