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RE: Goldfish and shrimp intrxns?



June,

I have 8+ caridina japonica (yamato numa-ebi or amano shrimp) in a heated 20
gal planted tank and have not had any problems with them harassing fish -
they are too small, docile and prefer algae, fish food and detritus to fish.
I couldn't comment on an unheated tank with goldfish. I would expect that
once the goldfish got to a certain size that the shrimp would be open
targets just because they will fit into the fishes mouth.

As far as controlling BBA, I wouldn't count on it. My shrimp tend to stay
away from it in favor of other types of algae and uneaten fish food. 

At first I started out with the idea that snails, shrimp, fish, etc. could
be used to control algae and that is all I would need to do and I would have
a clean tank. While they do a great job they are not foolproof (IMO) and
that controlling the amount and types of nutrients, etc. is an essential
element to keeping algae under control along with the natural algae eaters.
I have a 60 gal tank with one Chinese algae eater, a small plecostoma, 6
yellow labidichromis chiclids and three anubias barteria and I find that
when I get algae blooms it is because I fed the tank too much or didn't
change the water regularly. I also have a 10 gal with plastic plants and 4
chiclids and I am able to keep algae in check by adequate filtration, water
changes and modest feeding.

I would definitely stay away from chemicals to treat the algae (at least the
kind that is introduced into the tank with the fish), none of them have ever
worked for me. There are a number of approaches using bleach, H202 and other
things that might help. Please do your research before attempting any of
these methods though, since you only want to kill the algae and not
everything in your tank. :-)

I don't believe that anyone is going to come up with a single, silver bullet
for algae, I think you should look at a combination of approaches. The Krib
has alot of "ideas" on how to control algae, I would look there for more
suggestions.

Jerry

> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 07:21:30 -0400 (EDT)
> From: June Oshiro <idlewild at rci_rutgers.edu>
> Subject: Goldfish and shrimp intrxns?
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> I had a word in my original post which caused it to be routed to the
> approval person, and since I haven't yet seen my post appear, I am editing
> and resending.  Apologies if you are reading this twice.  
> 
> I have two fantails (goldfish) in a 20 g tank with no plants (just plastic
> ones which look terrible).  I tried having crypts in there earlier this
> year, but the crypts let out some kind of metabolite which *dramatically*
> induces BBA growth - there was no BBA until I introduced plants, just some
> brown and green algae that would stick to the glass and was easily removed
> during water changes. 
> 
> I'd like to put plants in the tank - just some low maintenance, quick
> growing plants that can proliferate faster than the fish will eat them.  
> However, I do have algae hangups and hate the way BBA chokes the life out
> of plants; I'd like to put something in the tank that will eradicate BBA.
> Specifically, I was wondering about algae eating shrimp.  
> 
> Goldfish, as you probably know, are somewhat slow and clumsy swimmers - it
> is generally recommended that they not be mixed with other fish, or even
> other variations of goldfish.  They are definitely nervous around other
> faster swimming fish - I did try having SAE in the tank with them for a
> few days, but it didn't work out.  The gfish are about 2-3 inches long -
> with beautiful flowing tails exceeding their body length.
> 
> Uncle Ned (of Fish Factory fame) thinks that the shrimp will be eaten in
> fairly short order by the goldfish.  
> 
> If that doesn't occur: 
> Do shrimp like unheated freshwater tanks?  
> Will shrimp disturb/snap at the fantails?  
> Are there other goldfish-compatible algae eaters?
> 
> Thanks in advance, and apologies for being long-winded,
> - -j.
> 
>