I Don't Have Enough Algae!

I know, not the usual problem. But I just got a school of 6 Otos, in addition to my 5 horned nerites, and they have cleared my tank of every scrap of algae in 24 hours. Now I'm worried they'll starve!

Would there be any downsides to increasing the light period? My tank is heavily planted. I do 7 hrs currently, in addition to the weak ambient light it gets during the day. Or should I rehome some nerites? Any thoughts welcome.

 

If they can keep your plants clean of algae you can have the light on as long as you want up to 10 hours. Also know that new snails would've most likely starved therefore they ate much more than they need. Give it about a week and they'll slow down their grazing.

 

Algae wafers possibly online?

 

Increasing the light period's effect will be dependent on the plants you keep as far as I know. But I am more experienced with fish than plants. If your Nitrate is very low, I would recommend doing less regular water changes and feeding your fish more (don't overfeed though). This would increase nitrate which would result in more algae forming. But I would only do this if I didn't have nitrate sensitive fish in my tank, and even with fish that are more tolerant to it you shouldn't exceed 20ppm nitrates!

 

You could use algae wafers but I would recommend you to buy them at your lfs

 

Thanks all! I've already ordered some algae wafers so am hoping they'll take to those, have heard some do and some don't. Am also offering a bit of fresh veg. Will up lights to 10 hrs and see what happens.

 

Yes go to 10hrs with the lighting and try algae wafers for the ottos. How big is the tank? Nerites will just keep going they seem to find stuff to eat. It’s the ottos that are tough to keep. They usually just eat algae. I’ve got mine eating wafers but it took awhile.

 

Some people have success with cucumber, zucchini, and blanched spinach. Otos are finicky when it comes to prepared foods in general, though. I guess I'm lucky that mine eat pretty much whatever I drop in the tank, be it vegetables, flakes, pellets, or frozen foods.

 

Yes go to 10hrs with the lighting and try algae wafers for the ottos. How big is the tank? Nerites will just keep going they seem to find stuff to eat. It’s the ottos that are tough to keep. They usually just eat algae. I’ve got mine eating wafers but it took awhile.

Thanks! Tank is 65 gallons, 4 foot long. How did you get them to eat the wafers? Did you just keep dropping them in? How many do you offer and how often? (Sorry for all the questions, I am clueless about Otos!)

Some people have success with cucumber, zucchini, and blanched spinach. Otos are finicky when it comes to prepared foods in general, though. I guess I'm lucky that mine eat pretty much whatever I drop in the tank, be it vegetables, flakes, pellets, or frozen foods.

Thanks - hope mine will turn out like yours! Do you blanch the cucumber and zucchinI or give it raw? How long do you leave it in for?

 

Thanks! Tank is 65 gallons, 4 foot long. How did you get them to eat the wafers? Did you just keep dropping them in? How many do you offer and how often? (Sorry for all the questions, I am clueless about Otos!)



Thanks - hope mine will turn out like yours! Do you blanch the cucumber and zucchinI or give it raw? How long do you leave it in for?

I like using raw squash and zucchinI because a lot of my bottom feeders eat it and it doesn't break down quickly in cool water tank. I cut semicircular wedges, about an inch and a half in length, and place it in with a plant weight wrapped around the skin to hold it down. While most people here would recommend keeping it in for no more than 24 hours, I leave my veggies in until the otos, pleco, shrimp and snails eat it down to the skin, a 2-3 day period.

 

It doesn't seem that nerites and otos really eat many prepared foods, even algae wafers. I'd concentrate on trying veggies (raw spinach is fine as well).

 

I ended up putting jars filled with tank water and a rock on my window sill to grow Algea on them and just swapping them in and out of the tank. I leave my lights on 12-16 hours a day and still can't grow Algea faster than the snails eat it. My Pleco prefers vegetables and plants over Algea.

 

Start putting some rocks in buckets with high light. Once the algae grows , put them in your tank until they are clean.

I would boil the rocks first.

This is easier in the summer when the natural light and heat will do the work for you.

David,

Beat me to the punch!

 

I also grow algae on rocks in a big tub in my yard, I have quite a few rocks in there and just constantly cycle them in and out. I also find rapashy solient green or super green is pretty widely accepted by my algae grazers

 

I have a planted 30gal that is basically my qt tank. Anything new goes in there first. It’s full of bottom dwellers Cory’s ottos and a pleco and sae. So I’m guessing the ottos saw everything else eating the wafers and started eating them too. I moved 4 into my 90 and they still eat the wafers. I break one wafer up every other night and they find the pieces. I’ll try and get a pic tonight.