That kind of reductions in bioload should have made a big impact. While the shell offers some protection, it’s still not an ideal situation. Often, all it takes is a few simple changes to your maintenance routine to reverse the process of excess growth. In general, most fish do quite well on one feeding per day. A bristlenose pleco would be a much better algae eater, but they would require warmer water temperatures and are not as hardy. Pondinformer.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca, and amazon.co.uk. Now, generally, mollies come in plenty of colors. However, I’ve also found that they can struggle when tank conditions are less than ideal. Unlike many tropical fish breeds, mollies bear live young rather than lay eggs. They’re small enough that your pond size should be just fine for them, and they get along well with other fish. We have a small pool we turned into a small pond where we have a couple turtles. They’re a tropical fish hailing from South America, and so they will have to be brought in for the winter if your pond’s temperature falls below 50°F. I can move a couple of mollies to another aquarium so that would bring it below 100%. They are peaceful fish that like to live in large communities and preferably in a medium sized aquarium. Also, they’re best suited for tropical climates when it comes to outdoor stocking, as they require warm water temperatures, ideally within the 72-82°F (22-28°C) range. Some of the mature ones are around 10″ and the younger ones slightly smaller… Could you suggest any algae eaters that could help get the equilibrium back please? That means it is not a good option for any tank but the largest tanks. Consider their needs, plus how they will interact with any other fish you already own. I would consider a tank 30 gallons or larger for a single fish, or 55 gallons and up if you have more than one. I forgot to mention I live near Lake Erie 40 miles East of Cleveland. Out of curiosity, how big are your sharks at this point? I am surprised you didn't see fluctuations in water parameters when you left the tank empty for a month. They will need to be brought inside for the winter, as mollies prefer water above 75°F and guppies do best in temperatures over 55°. In addition, they’re both considered easy species to take care of and will reproduce fairly quickly, meaning that these little guys can put a surprising dent in overall algae growth. My concern here is that if you’re still getting large amounts of algae growth, even with heavily stocked koi and goldfish (both will eat algae conservatively), as well as plenty of plants, it may be better to try other options, such as a UV clarifier. Large, aggressive fish may pick on snails. I would not keep a common pleco in a tank under 75 gallons. Making use of an automatic feeder can be helpful in these situations to carefully monitor dosage and frequency. With the snails, what one will eat the other won't, because of sizes and shapes some of the snails can get into places the others cannot. They lack barbels, a feature that is present on the common carp, and are also larger, weighing in at an average adult weight of 55 pounds. I would suggest an Otocinclus catfish, as they gobble up all types of algae and generally get along with all other fish species, plecos included. They prefer to live with some of their own kind, so try to get three or more if possible, and if your pond’s size allows for it. Is this predominately green water algae, or string algae, as well? Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Young, growing fish might need to eat three or more times per day. If you have more than one you may get baby snails. Algae growth will suffer (or completely halt) in very low oxygen conditions, as well as within more extreme pH ranges. Scientific Name : Corydoras spp. Now that I cleaned it, I’m waiting to see if those two plecos can keep up. The snails go in and out and even under the rock, and they are by far the best glass and plastic cleaner ever. Get rid of any leftover food or fish waste. Think of the long view when choosing any fish or critter for your aquarium. In the Summer we do swim in the pond if that is an issue. The Green Spotted Puffer is a highly unique and interesting fish. Even adult common plecos (what I’d usually recommend for small ponds) may become prey depending on the species of turtle you have. Plecos are easygoing and peaceful, getting along well with most other fish species, though they do best in environments where they’re the only of their kind. Here’s a 25 seconds long video where it feasts on the notorious black beard algae. Hello. While they do eat black beard algae, they cannot eat it fast enough to make a noticeable difference. Not really a good choice for large ponds with bigger species as they’ll get eaten pretty quickly and won’t make much impact on algae growth, but they’re a good choice in smaller water gardens. Mollies will feed on green algae from the plants, substrates, and even from the aquarium glass. Here are my top five freshwater snails that eat algae: 1. Are there any algae-eaters that could live in such an environment year-round? If you’d like more info, feel free to inquire again or check out our pleco article: https://pondinformer.com/cold-water-pleco-pond-guide/. We have 3 that have survived the past 10 years one has grown to just shy of 4ft in length. However, you may consider apple or mystery snails. Add a pleco, algae-eating loaches, even Mollies, and all will graze algae all day long, reaching all those little spots that you can’t. These are very effective at removing the algae which cause green pond water, and are very safe for wildlife and the eco-system. And, be sure wherever you are buying your fish from knows the difference as well. If you have a large pond or a significant amount of algal growth, more voracious, larger algae feeders like the pleco, Siamese algae eater, or Chinese high-banded shark may be better suited for your pond. However, algae is certainly not their preferred food source and generally they feed more heavily on algae only during the winter when they are more dormant and there are fewer food options available. All the species in this genus are mollies except for the Endler’s livebearer. The rest of it varies in depth from 12″-3′ in depth. Check here for more info: https://pondinformer.com/best-uv-pond-clarifiers/. A few more considerations when it comes to the plecostomus: whatever species you choose, make sure you supplement its diet with algae wafers and include a piece of driftwood in the tank for rasping. Will it eat brown algae or your fish food? That too indicates that things may be a little off. Florida Flag Fish. You already have plenty of goldfish which are likely eating some of the weeds, so I think to keep on top of it, manual removal with a rake, shovel or vacuum would be more effective here. Hi, I live In western Washington and dont have much of a algae problem, not sure if it has anuthing to do with this or not, but I have all natural fragrance free clumping and non clumping calcium bentonite and clay cat litter lining the bottom, but i want to add some different species of fish and algae eaters, I have a 275 gallon pond and keep fancy goldfish in it, so any ideas on algae eaters or other fish that are hardy are welcome as well! Mollies are not a picky eater and will eat just about anything that is given to them. – Yes, conservatively. Plus, fewer supplemental feedings for your fish means that they are more likely to feed on any algae that is present. Image source. Other small fish that may work include mollies, guppies, and goldfish – these don’t primarily eat algae though, so they won’t make as much of a dent as the otocinclus will. This one could be risky if your tank is heavily planted. What would you suggest for an algae eater? Hello, I have kept tropical fish for over 45 years with success and am suddenly experiencing fish dying on mass. Some of them can be harmful to snails and shrimp. They’ll consume leftover fish food and plant matter too, which makes them one of the best clean-up fish you can have in your tank. The rest of the cleaning is up to you. Once you are on the way to solving that issue, or if you already know your tank is in good shape but you’ve got a little algae growth anyway, you can consider adding some of the fish and critters mentioned in this article to your stock. The smallest pond seems to be doing fine. In the main pond the fish kept the algae very short but in the overflow chamber the algae was very long and dense. Siamese Algae Eaters. Mollies. Do your research! I have a water clarifier but I’m having issues with heavy algae growth on the bottom and on my plants. But I would start with considering if your water is really okay or if there might be something going on that you missed. Many fish keepers and small-scale pond owners consider this little catfish to be one of the best algae-eaters out there! You are going to have to pitch in. They only grow to a couple of inches in length, so 500 gallons would work fine for a having several of them, and they quite readily eat algae. If your tank is too small for a pleco, or you don’t want to deal with the hassle of it rampaging through your live plants, consider the little otocinclus catfish instead. If you intend to stock any of these guys just be sure you are not serving them up as lunch. Despite their ability to grow up to 4 feet long (don’t worry, they’re slow growers), they’re a peaceful species that easily lives in harmony with koi, goldfish, guppies, and many other fish species, and prefer to live in small schools of 3 or more of their own kind. Although no pond fish will likely be able to fully control a rapid algae bloom (more on this later), they’re a great natural method for reducing it’s growth alongside more traditional means. I have an eight by eight by four pond with way to much alge there is just koi and goldfish I live in Leeds England. Dwarf Shrimp. Sadly, in almost all cases, algae in ponds will eventually begin to grow faster than fish can actively consume it – especially in summer months. What do you feed it once the algae has gone? They are good algae eaters (Soft as well as Black algae too). Sides are pretty clean. Known for the zebra-like pattern on their shells, nerite snails are one of the most popular species of algae-eating snails. Small freshwater shrimp also work day and night to eat algae and polish every grain of gravel in the tank. Introduction to the Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) You don’t have to wait for an outbreak before adding an algae eater to your community aquarium, and one of the best options for peaceful planted tanks are the active and irrepressible Siamese Algae Eater or SAE (genus Crossocheilus).They’re very easy to care for, and their shark-like appearance adds a fun touch … When choosing an algae eater, you’ll also need to be mindful of the fish already present in your pond – batfish and otocinclus catfish are friendly with other fish, but Siamese algae eaters may be too energetic and stress out any calmer fish present, while koi may eat smaller fish. It’s completely normal to have to scrape algae growth off the sides of a tank, but it can be trickier to clean your substrate, equipment, live plants and decor. Q: Will they Eat Algae in Ponds? What would be the best course of action, algae eater wise. Be careful with medications when you have invertebrates in the tank. Think about their overall needs, whether they are a good fit for the tank itself, and whether they will get along with the aquarium inhabitants already in residence. In fact, when properly controlled, having some green algae (not the blue-green kind) in your garden pond is actually considered healthy and necessary for aquatic ecosystems as they will photosynthesize, produce oxygen, and provide a natural food source for many fish, insects and wildlife species. Always make sure you thoroughly research any animal you intend to add to your fish tank. It has about 13 goldfish at about 3 inches long. A single female can produce over one hundred baby mollies, also called fry, in one live birth. Is the grass carp (sterile verity), safe to put in with our trout? Low CO2 and/or poor water circulation. Between the shark and the other fish, I have very little algae in my pond and I live in Southern California. Mother nature can help out with your algae battle in the form of algae-eating fish and invertebrates. Chinese Algae Eaters need at least 30 gallons of space with a pH of around 6.5 to 7.5 and a temperature between 74 and 80 degrees. You’ll want to get three or more, as their small size does limit how much they can eat, even though they love algae. I restocked and three weeks later it is happening again. Glad to hear your algae eaters are helping keep your pond in good condition. Common Names : Albino Corydoras, Armored Catfish, Plated Catfish, Bronze Catfish, Mailed Catfish, Cory Catfish Care Level : Easy Size : 2.5 inches (6 cm) pH : 6 - 8 Temperature : 72°F - 78°F (22°C - 26°C) Water Hardness : 5° to 18° dH, Lifespan : 3 - 5 years Origin / Habitat : South America Temperament / Behavior : Very peaceful. You may not think of them when trying to figure out a solution to your algae problem, but mollies, platies, guppies, and swordtails will all readily graze on algae. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. For this reason, I’d recommend having your water parameters well under control before adding otos to your tank. It currently houses a dozen fathead minnows and three baby koi. Otos are probably my favorite algae-eating fish, just because they are so easy to manage. If your tank sees a return of the algae, they’ll prevent it from spreading without the need for you to engage in any hard labor. Other small fish that may work include mollies, guppies, and goldfish – these don’t primarily eat algae though, so they won’t make as much of a dent as the otocinclus will. They are a friendly fish species and do better in a fish tank with other fish. The female Angelfish will check out the male and shake her fins in acceptance. They often live full lives spanning up to 10 years, but require water to be kept between approximately 70 and 79°F and will need to be transferred to an indoor tank during the winter. I have a Natural Pool/Swim pond in Chesapeake, Virginia, US. Our only issues we are having is mass algae growth and cat-tails. However, my experience shows that the True Black Mollies are really best at snacking on algae. For small hardy fish you could look into mosquito fish, common minnows, or even red shiners. I have goldfish and shabunkins in all three, at different sizes, of course. You will want to invest in a tight-fitting lid cover, as jumping is a favorite pastime of this fish. Once the majority is removed, your fish may be able to get back on top of it, but you could also try adding more plants (especially those with broad leaves – lilies etc.) Tetra PRO PlecoWafers are a nutritionally balanced, complete daily diet for herbivore bottom feeders such as plecos. The draining stresses the fish. I have a 5000 gal Koi pond that is 12 x 8 foot and about 4 feet at the deepest. Because of their small size and calm nature, they do well in groups with most other fish species and will not damage other fish as they feed (as mentioned above, this can be a problem with larger suckering algae eaters). That’s a pretty big pond! Before we get to the best algae eaters, it should be noted that when feeding your fish, make sure that you are not feeding them any more than they can eat within a five minute span. Actually, this fish (also known as the freshwater batfish) is more closely related to the suckering algae eaters talked about in this article than it is to actual sharks. However, the common pleco can grow to a foot and a half in length. Loaches don’t consume as much algae as species such as certain plecos since they are opportunistic feeders that will also eat insects, plant matter, and food pellets. usually takes over the open spaces from the hair algae, and the snails end up doing the legwork to keep it that way. Even koi can appear dwarfed in size when they’re fully mature! They tank was left empty of fish for a month while all was rechecked. If you’d rather not worry about having to transfer your algae-eater inside for the winter, a pond loach (also known as the dojo loach or weather loach) may be more suited to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ... Cherry shrimp are great at eating different types of hair algae and will also eat leftover fish food. They tend to get nervous from time to time and that is why it is a good idea to make sure they have plenty of space to hide in the fish tank under rocks and artificial plants. Hi, I live in Central England and am having problems during the summer months with green water and string algae. Having both the plecos and that catfish should greatly help, as maybe there is some algae that the pleco either doesn’t want to eat or can’t get to for whatever reason. Comments. I’ve done the normal filter/pump cleaning and chemical treatment of the water and a third water change. The general rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon of water, but to be on the safe side, consider one inch of fish per two or three gallons to help reduce the risk of overcrowding and water quality degradation. 6. I know that most Tilapia species will readily eat filamentous algae, but if they can’t get into the overflow chamber, it can’t be that. In fact, they could make things worse by adding to the bioload. Pond fish may be able to graze down algae during quieter periods, but as soon as the sun begins to shine during summer months, algae will slowly start to win the battle and gain a foot-hold over the eco-system. Some species can get fairly large. The medium sized one needed a pleco, so this last fall and winter I took one from the bigger pond and it did a super job of cleaning, but I was concerned that it wasn’t getting enough to eat because it was turning itself upsaide down to get the goldfish flakes when I fed every morning. Chinese algae eaters grow larger and become aggressive fish as they age. CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5 from Wikimedia Commons. Then I added some red tilapia and all the string algae disappeared, even in the overflow chamber. In general, simply adding a UV Clarifier to the pond and making sure to reduce any excess nutrients through regular cleaning/water changes should be sufficient. They are Omnivorous hence the diet is the same as Koi fish which is a major advantage when you keep them with koi fish. Grass carp are incredibly hardy, tolerate cold winters, and will eat all kinds of pond weeds and algae. If the carp were not effective, I have two questions: 1) Are you certain they were grass carp? – Yes, readily. Currently I have 14 koi in the 14″-28″ range, one 10″ goldfish, and numerous mosquito fish. They’re quite hardy fish, able to live in waters ranging from about 40 to 77°F, and are well-suited for beginner ponders. They are the ideal choice for many small tanks where a pleco is simply not a possibility. Make sure you thoroughly research the animals you intend to add to your tank. Commonly sold as a freshwater fish, the GSP will only do well without marine salt in its water for a very short time. They are generally docile, but they do grow to an adult length of around six inches, and so would not be a suitable choice for small tanks. I have always fed algae wafers several times per week whenever I have algae eaters in my tank. Fact: If you immerse a piece of Staghorn algae in alcohol it will turn red. Ghost shrimp and cherry shrimp more common and less expensive options if you like the idea of shrimp in your tank. They are omnivores, and eat green algae that may form in your tank. They are a great choice for any tank ten gallons and up, as long as it doesn’t include fish that are big enough to eat them. The algae, however, will most likely be permanently destroyed. You’ll see them puttering around the substrate, climbing plants and occasionally even swimming. Black mollies are very popular in the aquarist world. Research before you buy! This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Or are there other weeds/moss/plants in there, too? ), Best Pond Sludge Remover 2021 (Reviews & Comparison), When to Start Feeding Koi After Winter (Best Spring Foods), List of Common Aquatic Pond Insects (Pictures & Identification), The Best Koi Carp Books 2021 (Essential Reading List), The Best Winter Hardy Pond Plants (Cold Weather Species). Many people simply refer to plecos as suckerfish. What kind of algae do you have? When introducing a new school, make sure you keep up to 4 mollies in the same aquarium. I spoke to an expert who advised about chemical levels in the water and bacteria but all these were okay and monitored routinely. Rabbit Snail More information on these methods can be found in our separate articles below:-, I live in Winlaw BC, and have a pond that is about 40 feet across, and 8-10 feet at its deepest. Q: Will they Eat Algae in Ponds? Originating from Asia, grass carp were specifically brought to the U.S. in the 1960’s to control aquatic weeds in waterways. Barbs can live up to 6 years in the tank if the water quality and a good diet are ensured. They only grow to a couple of inches in length, so 500 gallons would work fine for a having several of them, and they quite readily eat algae. If you want to raise mollies, a ratio of one male per three to four females works best. If you’re worried about the potential problems of adding more fish species, we recommend using other methods of algae control as both goldfish and koi really do prefer other types of grub! In addition, they’re quite hardy and prefer cool water with plenty of hiding places, though anywhere between 55-75°F suits them just fine. As it turns out, this is one of those good news/bad news situations. You can buy algae wafers from stores which should disappear over a few hours. You asked this question in an article about algae. I have a 10×15 pond about 5 1/2 deep at the most, I’m in northern Wyoming and I get pretty harsh winters. Now for the bad news: if algae growth is way out of control in your aquarium, no fish or critter can clean up the tank all by themselves. A good brackish setup is needed for health and longevity of the GSP. Good god, the snails are the worst. All three fish types should get along fine! However, you’ll want to make sure to get a goldfish variety that won’t grow much larger than the guppies or mollies, else the goldfish may eat the smaller fish. The algae will run out quickly if you keep a large group of Otos. Reply. 3. Next, you can stock up on algivores like Dwarf Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Florida Flag Fish, Mollies, Siamese Algae Eaters that will keep your tank clean and tidy when it comes to algae. For the most part, mollies are very easy to breed. Be especially careful not to confuse the Siamese algae eater with the Chinese algae eater. Simply adding a UV clarifier can do wonders for green water in a very short period of time. They’re suitable to be kept with common goldfish and koi, and would make a good addition to most ponds if you can accommodate their warmer temperature requirements, or if you live in a warm climate all year round. If you provide Siamese Algae Eaters with enough room to swim, and plenty of algae to eat, they will definitely be a welcomed addition to your tank.

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