# Algae on gravel



## trckrunrmike (Jul 20, 2005)

There is algae on my Onyx Sand but my Otos won't eat it...yet. They seem to like the algae on the rocks better but its the same algae. It appears to be severe green spot algae on my gravel.


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Try to rotate the gravel underneath when you do your next water change...


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## trckrunrmike (Jul 20, 2005)

I'm thinking of adding 3 more otos to my already 2 oto 20 gallon tank.


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## random_alias (Jun 28, 2005)

I no longer consider ottos a good algae eating fish for long term use.

I had 10 ottos in my 55 gallon. They fattened up and did very well for months. Then I started dosing EI. Now, my algae problems are pretty much gone, but the nasty side effect is that my ottos are getting very thin. I started dropping in algae wafers and veggies, but my amano shrimp are all over it in no time and the ottos are too timid to fight for a feeding spot. They are too fast and there are too many inaccessible spots in my planted tank to net them out. In the last three weeks my ottos have started starving. I find one occasionally on the bottom, pale and lifeless. 

Just something to consider. They are great if you have constant brown algae, but not many people have that. They are great if there is no competition for dropped veggies or if yours happen to be confident enough to fight for it. My experiences have taught me that ottos are great for specific conditions, but those conditions are almost always temporary and when things get better, you are still responsible for their health. Just something to consider. YMMV.

I have had better results with shrimp anyway.


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## trckrunrmike (Jul 20, 2005)

Umm I only have glosso and dwarf hairgrass so catching Otos wouldn't be a problem. But keeping shrimp will since they have no where to hide. So my best chance is more Otos??


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

trckrunrmike said:


> Umm I only have glosso and dwarf hairgrass so catching Otos wouldn't be a problem. But keeping shrimp will since they have no where to hide. So my best chance is more Otos??


I would still consider larger amano shrimp...otos really are useless unless there is brown algae...I only have 4 and they're really just in there as part of the cleaning crew...my zillion cherry shrimp to the majority of the cleaning. 

I would still consider trying to rotate your gravel if its possible. Maybe next time you have to uproot and replant.


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## SlugJabba (Aug 15, 2005)

When I bought a plant recently and asked the guy to throw in some pond snails he thought I was crazy, but these guys eat algae constantly. I have brown scum algae here and there on the tank and they love it and seek it out. If you have an irrational dislike of snails then it is not a good idea, but I can't wait until there are 100 of them so they can keep my tank sparkling clean. If you get too many, drop a crayfish in for a while, they crack the shells and slurp up the snail like spaghetti...had one completely clear out a 40 gallon that was packed with snails once.


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## kunerd (Jul 19, 2005)

SlugJabba said:


> When I bought a plant recently and asked the guy to throw in some pond snails he thought I was crazy, but these guys eat algae constantly. I have brown scum algae here and there on the tank and they love it and seek it out. If you have an irrational dislike of snails then it is not a good idea, but I can't wait until there are 100 of them so they can keep my tank sparkling clean. If you get too many, drop a crayfish in for a while, they crack the shells and slurp up the snail like spaghetti...had one completely clear out a 40 gallon that was packed with snails once.


But wont the crayfish attack your fish also if they get close enough?


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## SlugJabba (Aug 15, 2005)

Depends on the fish, but crayfish are really slow, especially the larger ones. They can uproot plants and what not but if you had what you thought was a snail infestation, they do a great job.


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