Fish & Snail Food Questions

[Isabella]

Hello everyone

I have a few questions regarding certain fish foods. I will be getting new fish (algae eaters) in the near future if I start getting algae in my tank (I don't want to get them unless I start getting algae). They will be either Siamese Flying Foxes (the true Siamese algae eaters) or Otos. I really don't know what would be the best food for them. Does anyone know what's the best food (or foods) for Siamese Flying Foxes and Otos?

I also want to get Omega fish foods for my freshwater fish. Which ones are best and where to buy them? Are there any Omega foods for algae eaters?

Lastly, I have snails in my tank and, if I keep them, I assume I'll need to feed them with some snail foods too, right? Or can they survive alone on decaying plant matter and on leftover fish food? Atm has told me about this: (which was Rose's suggestion). Is this alone enough? Atm has also told me about zucchini - that it can be fed to snails too (thanks Atm, once again).

Also, what are best snail-eating fish? (Preferably, I want these fish to be as small as possible.) What do I need to feed them with? Will fish such as Angelfish and Rams eat small snails?

SORRY, once again, for so many questions. I always have loads of questions, regardless of the subject matter, lol.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Gunnie]

Just like with other fish, variety is the key. To supplement their algae diet, see what they like with veggie wafers, zucchini, etc. The Omega One foods are usually sold in your smaller lfs, but I believe PetSmart also sells it locally and online. I sometimes find good deals on ebay for the Omega One but send me a pm about a seller before you bid. They advertised an 8.1 oz. can on the auction, and I got a 2 oz can. The snail food would also be fine as a supplement. They will also eat the leftovers you feed the algae eaters, which should round out their diet.

As far as good snail eating fish, I'd go with loaches. I'm not sure of the smallest, but there's a lot of choices out there on www.loaches.com My yo yo's have been in my tank for over 2 years and are still only at the most 4 inches long. They are slow growers, and they don't get as big as the clowns.

P.S. If you have trouble finding the Omega One locally, and there's a dealer who would like to carry Omega One but is having problems getting it, let me know. I have a friend who can help!

 

[Isabella]

Thank you so much Gunnie I'll check Petsmart today and see what I can find there. I also need to buy some fish food clips there (or on any fish website, but since Petsmart may have Omega foods, I'd buy the clips there together with the foods).

Aren't Siamese Flying Foxes also loaches? (That is, algae-eating loaches.) The reason I wanted Siamese Flying Foxes is that they eat black hairy algae - and I have A LOT of this algae in my 30 gallon tank (my Golden loach doesn't eat them). I want to protect my 75 gallon tank from ever getting the black hairy algae by getting some Siamese Flying Foxes for it.

Can Yo-Yo loaches be combined with Siamese Flying Foxes? Do Yo-Yo loaches need to be in groups? I'd like to have the smallest possible group if the "algae-and-snail-eating squad" (lol). I also orefer loaches/algae eaters that do not produce a lot of wastes, that are small (which is why Otos would be great). Or, can Yo-Yo loaches be combined with Otos?

 

[Butterfly]

Flying foxes are not loaches. Loaches aren't real good at eating algae but they sure can clean the snails up The Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is known commonly as the sucking loach but is not truly a loach.
Carol