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Re: Snails and shrimps

> "Ellen O'Connell" <oconnell_wadeash at ix_netcom.com>
> Subject: Algae Wars
> 
>> Snails and shrimps do great as well.
> 
> I have a small tank (6 gallon) with what what I'd call staghorn algae from
> the look of it (SAE's ate it in my 20  gallon) and since the tank and its
> occupants are all small, I went through the archives thinking shrimp might
> help the problem, but it seemed to me that no one thought much of shrimp as
> algae eaters and there was at least one report of a shrimp killing a small
> fish.
> 
> Are there shrimp that are safe around small fish such as neons and pygmy
> corys and that are good enough at eating the tough algaes to be worthwhile?

Never seen one munch a fish. I didn't say it couldn't happen though.
If I have enough of them in a tank it remains algae free unless I mess with
the tank on purpose or stop adding CO2 etc. 2-3 max on a tank that small.
Snails would be better IMO. I have a horde in with a bunch of Aust. feather
fins and they don't mess with one another. Amano seems to have them in with
sorts of small fish as well.

> Can they be mail ordered, since the LFS around here don't seem to have
> anything but ghost shrimp (the ones the archives seem to indicate are
> useless)?
Yes several places will mail them.
> 
> Same questions about snails I guess.  Thanks.

Snails eating a fish?:) Not likely. Hard to kill and you can raise your own
herd:) As far as algae eaters I think they are a very good animal for their
algae eating. SAE's will eat other types that the snails won't, Shrimps will
nibble on other types that the snails won't as well. Some fish will go after
certain types of algae. Snails don't take up space like fish and shrimps,
they will eat fish eggs though.
regards, 
Tom Barr