# Odessa Barbs - helpers or hurters for planted tanks?



## willbldrco (Mar 24, 2007)

For the past couple months I've had a school of 7 Odessa Barbs. Yesterday I read a very interesting article by Ole Pedersen in the latest AGA publication, "The Aquatic Gardener" (TAG), which included them in a list of efficient algae eaters. The article compares the algae eating benefits across Amano shrimp, Cherry shrimp, Nerite snails, Odessa Barbs, and SAEs. (Spoiler alert! Amanos win, big time).

My Odessa Barbs are extremely colorful (well, the males are - see pics below), but I've noticed that they will pick at *everything *(including algae). They have completely stripped my HC carpet to a bit of sad floaters, and my baby tears to a pathetic bundle of stems. They even grab the baby sprouts of Dwarf Hairgrass and wrangle them until the entire chain to the adult plant is ripped up! However, the rest of my plants are durable enough to remain in good shape.

Since I've introduced them to the tank, my algae problems have grown from minor to almost severe! At about 1.5 inches long, they are the largest fish I have in the tank (I have 16 Rummys and 20 Cardinals), so I'm wondering if they are "dirty" fish like gold fish, and thus have had a big impact on my bio load (although I've not seen a spike in NO3 or PhO4).

Anyone have experience with this fish in plated tanks? Should I get rid of them in an effort to control my algae issues?
Regards,

Will









































"Who, me??"


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

They're typical barbs that size. They'll munch on plants for fun. I wouldn't consider them to control algae.

If you like them keep them. Control your lights to keep the algae down.


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## im2smart4u (Dec 7, 2010)

I have 6 males in a planted 25 gallon. I haven't seen them trying to eat any plants, but I do see the occasional torn leaves. I am not sure if it is these guys or the Victorian cichlids, though. Even if it is these guys, I don't mind. I find them to be gorgeous fish.


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## willbldrco (Mar 24, 2007)

Great; thanks for the info and advice! 

Will


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