RE: Green dust / spot and Ancistrus spp

["Adam Shaw" <adams1 at comcen_com.au>]

To add to the thread....

IME I'd have to agree here on the first two points - I have some spot
algae and my 5 ancistrus do not seem to care much for it at all. I have
to scrape it off manually... Actually, if we are talking about the same
algae here then I have not found anything yet which will eat it. The
only way I get mine under control is manual scraping and using Tom's
concepts of having the plants consume the nutrients etc to out-compete
the algae etc etc etc...

The third however, in my experience I have found that that Ancistrus are
not destructive to plants at all. The only times I have seen damage done
to a plant is on an already dead or dying leaf on one of my oriental
sword plants. Other than that they seem to be very easy on plants
compared to some other pl*co related species (I have Ancistrus ranging
from 1" to 4-5").

Other than that, I would recommend them however as great additions to a
tank. I love mine, and wouldn't have a planted tank without them. Not
necessarily due to their algae eating abilities, but more-so just
because they are so interesting and cute little things! Ha, strange way
of describing them perhaps, I know...

Adam Shaw
Australia

P.S. Saw a pair of incredible mature "Peppermint" Bristlenose (almost
certain that they are from the Ancistrus family..) the other day -
amazing. Wish I could have afforded the $150 for the pair at the time :)


<ORIGINAL MESSAGE>
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 07:10:38 -0800
From: "Rachel Sandage" <rachelsor at hotmail_com>
Subject: Re: Green dust/spot

Shireen is considering the purchase of a youg ancistrus to combat her
green 
spot algae. I don't think that is a good idea, for three reasons:

1. Not all young ancistrus will eat green spot algae.
2. Very few, if any, adult ancistrus will eat it.
3. All young ancistrus will eventually become adult ancistrus, probably
not 
interested in green spot algae, possibly destructive to plants, and 
potentially very difficult to remove from the planted tank without
tearing 
it up.

- -rs
<END ORIGINAL MESSAGE>