Red algae and pleco compatibility

[fish-eyed-fool]

I've got some red stuff growing on the glass, slate, and gravel (basically everywhere). I can't figure out where it's coming from. I read that high nitrate levels cause growth similar to this, but I've got my nitrate level at <5ppm and I do water changes every few days. Also, ammonia and nitrites are at 0ppm. Could it be caused by sunlight from a nearby window?

Also, I'd like to get a pleco or something that will eat away at this nasty red stuff. The problem is that I have a Jack Dempsey (about 3") and I'm afraid he'll just eat whatever I put in there. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I could introduce into the tank that won't get eaten?

[jnorris]

I have / had the same issue. I hear it is due to nitrate levels. I am having the same issue in my newer 75 gallon. It seems to go away once the cycle completes (asuming it does).

I ended up putting some cool Plecos in One is albino and the other is a wierd variety. They seem to be eating it and keeping the levels down. My tanganyikans are leaving them alone so I think they should be ok with your south americans. They are pretty durable fish anyway.

It seems to be going away slowly. Both with the Plecos eating it and the nitrates going down.

Also I hear adding plants can reduce your nitrates too. That may work for you since you have an American cichlid tank. Most plants can't deal with a high Ph and salts like an African tank.

[jonah]

Two things:

1. A 3" Jack isn't going to eat a pleco if you buy one bigger than him now. By the time he's big enough the pleco will have grown some too.


2. Most plants can't handle most cichlids. The average cichlid sees plants as either a salad bar or a toy, neither of which works out too well for the plant.

[fish-eyed-fool]

[quote:b3e138300a="jonah"]2. Most plants can't handle most cichlids. The average cichlid sees plants as either a salad bar or a toy, neither of which works out too well for the plant.[/quote:b3e138300a]

I have two decent size plants in there (can't remember the name of the species), and the Jack has totally ignored them. In fact, they are growing so well that I have to trim them on a weekly basis.

Thanks for the advice. I'll go out and get a decent sized pleco to handle the algal growth.

[fish-eyed-fool]

[quote:731f26af6f="jnorris"]I have / had the same issue. I hear it is due to nitrate levels. I am having the same issue in my newer 75 gallon. It seems to go away once the cycle completes (asuming it does).[/quote:731f26af6f]

Well, I hope the cycle is complete. I fully cycled the tank over a two week period prior to adding any fish, and that was 6 months ago.

[jnorris]

Actually it is also due to excessive nutrient levels (so my research tells me) This includes nitrates potassium and a few others. It could be because of your water that comes out of the tap also. You might also want to decrease your light cycle in your tank to no more than 10 hours per day (this includes natural sunlight).

Have you tried scraping the glass and seeing if it comes back? I just cleaned mine and it seems to be over (I hope).

Malawi tank had the same issue for a bit, but it seemed to go away once the natural balance was achieved (it took a few months)

They make stuff to get rid of algea but I have heard it really doesn't fix the long term issue....

In most tanks plants are a good solution. If you are confident that your fish won't eat them then perhaps that is still a good solution. I had plants in my Malawi tank for 6 months and they didn't mess with them too much. I got rid of them because it wasn't considered natural to my fish and it lowered the PH.

[jonah]

Man, where do you guys find plant friendly cichlids. I don't think I've ever had a larger cichlid that has ignored plants. My small tanganyikans and my kribs are about the only ones that mind their manners. All of my mbuna/haps and every American cichlid I've ever had have been plant killers. :(

[jnorris]

Perhaps it is the plants. Unfortunately I am not a plant person so I don't know what I had.

THey didn't eat my plats but they hid in them some.

I got rid of plants because they were clogging up my UGF. And were messy. I destroyed them more than my fish did with the scraper and net.

[fish-eyed-fool]

[quote:254bad8e60="jnorris"]I got rid of plants because they were clogging up my UGF. And were messy. I destroyed them more than my fish did with the scraper and net.[/quote:254bad8e60]

No kidding! Real plants *look* great, but they sure do make a mess. I've got plant matter floating around all the time, and it always ends up on the intake tubing of my canister and hang-on-back. I kinda wish my Jack would start eating them up.