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Re: [APD] Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 43, Issue 25



> > Message: 1> Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:02:56 -0700> From: "Brown, Daniel" <dpbrown at ea_com>> Subject: [APD] Plant safe algae eaters.> To: "aquatic plants digest" <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>> > Potentially slightly off topic...> > I seem to be having terrible luck trying to keep Otto Catfish in my 30G> planted tank, then seem fine for a week or two and then I find them dead> or dying. I've tried feeding them extra food like algae wafers but they> never seem interested in them, water parameters (PH, nitrate, nitrite &> ammonia) seem normal (safe) so I'm a bit stumped.> > I'm currently considering trying an algae eating catfish as an> alternative to Ottos, in the past I've had a few bristle nose and> they've always been great for algae but always seem to develop have a> taste for Amazon swords (which I don't have atm). My local store does> not have any bristlenose in stock (or had any for a while) but they do> have some clown and zebra plecs and I was wondering if anyone here!
  has> had any experience with these breeds (or any others that may be> suitable) and how well they do for algae control (mainly for the glass,> I've got shrimp for the rest). I know that I will need to provide extra> food for a zebra, clown or bristlenose but I've never had problems in> the past feeding algae tablets etc (except to Ottos).> > In my first ever tank I had a Chinese algae eater and as is common with> these fish is started out great and then turned into a really aggressive> bully that was no longer interested in algae so I'll avoid those. The> Hong Kong loach is interesting though but as my tank is a SA Dwarf> Cichlid tank it would not really fit in with the other species (Rams,> Rummynose, Hatchets & Corys).> > Cheers,>  Ottos have always seemed sensitive to me also. I usually lose 2 out of 3 in quarantine. I ordered 6 from azgardens.com a few months ago and put them straight into my display.They arrived with fat bellys and stayed that way.  They are doing alo!
 t better than the usual ottos from the lfs. When your ottos die are th
e bellys caved in? Do they have any redness around the gills? If they have a plump belly, you know they didnt starve to death. If they have redness, it could be an oxygen or co2 problem. I dont have much luck with the algae wafers either, I have seen my ottos pick at zuchinni though. 
 
The clown plecos are a good choice, I have 2 in my 125. They are hardy, peaceful and cheap :).  Im not sure how much algae they actually eat though. Mine always stay on the bottom half of the tank around some driftwood pieces. 
 
Brady
 
 
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