jrod

i have an algae problem in my tank i want to buy some algea killer but i have to fish that are vegetarians. Can i just buy algae wafers?

MissMTS

You should be feeding your fish vegetarian food anyways. I hope that you are not just having them feed on the algae. Algae is a good suppliment to a diet, but fish need regular feedings as well. I don't think it should matter to your fish if you want to get rid of your algae. Just make sure that whatever you use is safe for aquariums.

jrod

no i feed them algea wafers, but can i just feed them that and kill the algea in the tank walls

MissMTS

That should be fine. What kind of fish do you have?

jrod

Otto Cats, four of them

MissMTS

Yeah they are fine with just algae wafers, so you can get rid of all of the annoying algae growing in your tank

jrod

ok


thanx

susitna-flower

What have you tried to do to cut down on algae?

I would NEVER use any chemicals to kill algae! It is controllable with mechanical methods....so why would you use chemicals in your tank...

First algae is caused by two things.

#1 Too much light

#2 High nitrates/ phosphates

So either your tank is overcrowded and you are not doing enough water changes, OR you have lights on over 10 hours a day, or the tank is in direct light from a window.

Tell us about your tank. How big is it, and what is it stocked with?

Do you test the water? Do you use the API Master test kit? If so what are the readings for:

ammonia?
nitrite?
nitrate?

Do you have plants in the tank that are dead?

What is your water change schedule?

Answer these questions and we will be able to help you get it under control.

COBettaCouple

what type of algae is it?

sirdarksol

I agree with Susitna, and second BettaCouple's question. Honestly, a healthy tank stocked with four otos shouldn't have any algae at all, unless it's several hundred gallons. I had two otos in a 20g, and within 24 hours, there was a visible dent in the algae that was covering everything.

The problem with algaecide is that it contains some form of copper (with the exception of a few types that target a particular type of algae. I've seen at least one that is based on an enzyme that targets hair algae). Copper is extremely toxic except in the most minute concentrations. It may not kill fish, but it will stress them. If you have any inverts, they will die, as they can't handle any copper.

jrod

i have a 20 gallon tank with four ottos cats, 3 swordtails, 2 zedra dinos, 2 corydoras, and 1 female betta. I change about 40% of water every to weeks and i also have a 2.5 gallon tank with 1 male betta and still get algae

jrod

i used to check the Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate
but i stop doing it. I have a lot of different kinds of algae some are green, brown black, and some are hairy.

jrod

oh and my pH is pretty high 8.0 to 8.2

sirdarksol

I'd check nitrates, just once, right before a water change, to see what they're topping out at.
Also, how much light does the tank get? Is it in a room that is lit with a lot of sunlight.

COBettaCouple

Otos won't eat some of those types of algae. You'll probably need to wipe out the algae by hand with paper towels and might need to cut down the number of light hours the tank gets.