Funny Algae Bloodhound Team Assemble!

Hi! So in my 10 gallon puffer tank I have a serious algae problem. I know the source of it is because I have a redicously bright light on the tank that lights up the tank and quite a bit around it. Water is clear and parameters are fine, tank just looks really bad. Because of this I have assembled the algae blood hound team:
- 3 ottocinclus catfish
- 14 ghost shrimp (two of them have lived with the puffer for months, he doesn’t bother them)
- 2 cherry shrimp (wanted some color)

I bet in three days most algae will be gone. What are your bets?

Here is what the tank looked like:


I re-scapes a bit and did a large water change so the scape is different now but algae is still there. Like I said, the water is actually clear, the light is just insane. The team is acclimating as we speak and I will post update photos tommorow of what they did overnight

EDIT: tend to keep the water level low so no one jumps as I don’t have a lid, I only have a bar light.

EDIT AGAIN: I got really bad like this after I went on vacaction and missed a water change, the one I did today was the first is almost two weeks because on the day I normally do it I was away, that is also why the water is a little low in this photo.

 

The otto cats will be the Generals of that clean up crew! Good luck!!

 

The otto cats will be the Generals of that clean up crew! Good luck!!

Do Ottos really clean that much? That's a LOT of Algae.

 

Do Ottos really clean that much? That's a LOT of Algae.

I can't say they will clean all of that or that type of algae. But close to the beginning of my fish keeping hobby I added a single ottocat to my 8.8 cause I was new to plants and it had some algae on the leaves and literally the next day every leave was green as can be. So yes depending on the algae the ottos will tear that stuff up especially once the lights go out. They are voracious little cleaning guys and girls
Edit too bad it's a puffer tank cause a couple nerites would make that the dream team

 

Do Ottos really clean that much? That's a LOT of Algae.

The otto cats will be the Generals of that clean up crew! Good luck!!

I can't say they will clean all of that or that type of algae. But close to the beginning of my fish keeping hobby I added a single ottocat to my 8.8 cause I was new to plants and it had some algae on the leaves and literally the next day every leave was green as can be. So yes depending on the algae the ottos will tear that stuff up especially once the lights go out. They are voracious little cleaning guys and girls
Edit too bad it's a puffer tank cause a couple nerites would make that the dream team

kallililly1973 yeah, the shrimp should help with the stringy stuff though
StarGirl15 yes, Otto cats are amazing algae cleaners. They need good water quality though and need to be kept in groups of at least three.
kallililly1973 yeah, I do wish I could get some snails in there, almost got a mystery but don’t think the puffer would like it

 

Well if my algae gets out of control I will have to get some! I think my baby BN Nerites and Amanos are keeping up pretty good right now.

 

kallililly1973 yeah, the shrimp should help with the stringy stuff though
StarGirl15 yes, Otto cats are amazing algae cleaners. They need good water quality though and need to be kept in groups of at least three.
kallililly1973 yeah, I do wish I could get some snails in there, almost got a mystery but don’t think the puffer would like it

Yes I agree I think it would have been a death sentence for a snail of any kind. I don't feel a mystery could even come close or be in the same category as a nerite snail

 

Well if my algae gets out of control I will have to get some! I think my baby BN Nerites and Amanos are keeping up pretty good right now.

That's a nice cleaning crew. But its always nice to have a couple ottos if you have the room they are cute as ever and amazing cleaners to boot. Like CaptainAquatics said you should get a few of them ( although I have 1 in my 5.5 and 1 in my 8.8 and they do very well

 

That's a nice cleaning crew. But its always nice to have a couple ottos if you have the room they are cute as ever and amazing cleaners to boot. Like CaptainAquatics said you should get a few of them ( although I have 1 in my 5.5 and 1 in my 8.8 and they do very well

I have 5 good sized Amanos 2 Zebra Nerites 2 Horned Nerites and a baby Albino BN (he seems to spend a lot of time on the driftwood ) I don't think I have enough algae for them yet.

 

I have 5 good sized Amanos 2 Zebra Nerites 2 Horned Nerites and a baby Albino BN (he seems to spend a lot of time on the driftwood ) I don't think I have enough algae for them yet.

Yes I would definitely wait for a tank to be pretty well established before adding any otto cats 6 months or more. And even then unfortunately they can still be hit or miss as most are wild caught. Although since being on Fishlore i've seen a couple unintentionally sucessfully breed them

 

Yes I would definitely wait for a tank to be pretty well established before adding any otto cats 6 months or more. And even then unfortunately they can still be hit or miss as most are wild caught. Although since being on Fishlore i've seen a couple unintentionally sucessfully breed them

It has been up for a year and a 1/2 but I don't have a lot of algae going on even with ferts. Oh that would be fun baby Ottos!

 

It has been up for a year and a 1/2 but I don't have a lot of algae going on even with ferts. Oh that would be fun baby Ottos!

Is your tank well planted? You would be surprised what they could feed on. I've had my 55 running close to 2.5 years and have 6 in there and they all do very well. Along with a Lot of other fish. All community fish.

 

Is your tank well planted? You would be surprised what they could feed on. I've had my 55 running close to 2.5 years and have 6 in there and they all do very well. Along with a Lot of other fish. All community fish.

Not well planted. In the growing stages. Started real plants in May. Baby... plants do do do do dooo.

 

They are in the tank now, 1 of each in this photo. They are having a meeting to determaine there plan of attack. Looks like the ottos will tackle the glass, the cherry shrimp will the the wood, and the shrimp will take the gravel (it’s actually a gravel sand mix):



Here is the tank Day 1:

Let’s see what tomorrow looks like!

 

They are in the tank now, 1 of each in this photo. They are having a meeting to determaine there plan of attack. Looks like the ottos will tackle the glass, the cherry shrimp will the the wood, and the shrimp will take the gravel (it’s actually a gravel sand mix):View attachment 582289


Here is the tank Day 1:View attachment 582290
Let’s see what tomorrow looks like!

They will prevail. But I think a used giftcard on the glass may be necessary seconds before your next WC. It's gonna look great in no time!