# Shrimp safe, plant safe, algae-eating nano fish?



## greatfish123 (Oct 14, 2007)

I highly doubt ottos will eat algae off mosses though.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Actually, if you get your otos from a good source and select healthy specimens, they're not that delicate.


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## Vladdy (May 6, 2008)

I am thinking of maybe getting some otos, but I am afraid they will hog some of the food from the shrimps.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Nerite Snails will eat algae, but they leave eggs on the glass (they don't hatch though).


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Nerite Snails will eat algae, but they leave eggs on the glass (they don't hatch though).


 Tell me about it! My old driftwood was coated in nerite snail eggs when I took it out!


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

I have Ottos with my ghost shrimp in my fry tank and nobody bothers anybody


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## aschaal03 (Feb 2, 2009)

Ottos don't touch algae that grows in moss, but they'll clean everything else. They also wouldn't bother the shrimp. Amano shrimp make great algae eaters as well, but I think they might also eat any cherry shrimplets you'd have.

--the only fish said to be safe with shrimp(and their babies) are ottos. All others are a gamble.


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

I know that corys don't bother shrimp either


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

That settles it then. I'd get a pair of Otos for my 5 gallon tank.
I am beginning to see algae cover some plants, I hope a pair would be enough and not overcrowding it. 

Here's a picture of my tank (sorry for the reflection, it's daytime in here)









Here's a pic of some new HCs that seem covered by algae. I hope the Otos would remove these.










By the way, I know this might be OT, but does anyone know what type of snails these are?










I saw it just today, and it's really tiny. Probably 1-2 mm in size. It was near the surface and when I turned the lights on it went all the way down, ate some gunk off the glass as he passed through.

This kind of gunk, see pic:


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

I like the personalities of Corydoras, but I don't want them in this tank because they are too active. I think they would uproot the HC and some stem plants.

Good God! Planting is so hard for me. I think I permanently injured my back during the 5 hours it took me to plant these guys.

I'm hoping to get fish with blue highlights on them when the tank ages. I'm prospecting on neon tetras.. but they are best kept in shoals.. and my 5 gallon tank is too crowded for them.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Maybe you could try Microrasbora erythromicron?


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## aschaal03 (Feb 2, 2009)

Looks like a pond snail to me. They eat leftover food, dead plant leaves, basically anything lol.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

aschaal03 said:


> Looks like a pond snail to me. They eat leftover food, dead plant leaves, basically anything lol.


 And you can expect to see a lot more until your MTS population peaks.


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

Axelrodi202 said:


> Maybe you could try Microrasbora erythromicron?


Dude that is awesome.
What is its common name? I doubt I can find any of those sold here since we as a country have the poorest selection of any pet; but I'll try to ask the LFS anyway.

Hmm. When i search the net for it, it shows a different picture... looks drab. Your version looks like a photoshopped picture LOL.


Good snail then, I assume? 
As long as it doesn't eat my live plants.


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

The snails will also help clean your plants. I have bladder snails in my tank and they are all over my plants, but I have yet see one damage a plant. I agree, that looks like a bladder snail.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

They don't have a common name. From what I've seen, a lighter substrate seems to show them better.


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

Thanks for the info. Ill print a pic and show it to the LFS.

I hope the snail won't multiply too much.
Did a quick google and read that these creatures release the most bioload.


EDIT: Was checking the tank and saw a weird looking transparent sac with some dots that looked like eggs inside. I could have sworn it wasn't here yesterday.

It's placed on a Wendelov leaf.










Could this be snail eggs? Should I remove it? Thanks.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Otos eat soft brown algae-diatoms. Diatoms do not last long in most tanks, it's only a new tank thing. Otos must be supplemented with Algae tabs and fresh veggies such as zucchini ,cucumber, & also melons. The fish posted, microrasbora erythromicron are extremely shy. Even in a small tank you may not see them often.I never did in my 4 gal finnex, they hid in the plants.:icon_roll A common name is Emerald Dwarf Rasbora. Another fish that stays small, is beautiful,and that would be more active is Dario Dario. They are carnivores, but those and some amano shrimp or cherry shrimp would make a nice display. If you do a search, you will find many threads here about them.
Here are some pics and info
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&um=1

I feel that cories _will_ eat shrimplets.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Yes those are snail eggs. Destroy them.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

why?
youll never get rid of snails in a planted tank unless you get something that eats snails and their eggs. bettas, particularly the females love to suck snails out of their shells and eat the eggs.
besides, they only hurt the plants and eat them if they have no other food source.


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## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

jourdy said:


> I like the personalities of Corydoras, but I don't want them in this tank because they are too active. I think they would uproot the HC and some stem plants.
> 
> Good God! Planting is so hard for me. I think I permanently injured my back during the 5 hours it took me to plant these guys.
> 
> I'm hoping to get fish with blue highlights on them when the tank ages. I'm prospecting on neon tetras.. but they are best kept in shoals.. and my 5 gallon tank is too crowded for them.


I have 7 neons (and a cory and a betta) in my 6-gallon eclipse, which is minimally planted (for now) and they're fine.


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

Those dario dario are really cool. 
I've never seen those anywhere here, so I'm guessing it's not available here.

It would also be a pain to feed, considering they are carnivores and only accepts live food. That's a shame, since their shape and color really catches my attention.


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## aschaal03 (Feb 2, 2009)

The snail population will only get out of hand if they have too much to eat. It is possible for them to pinhole a leaf or two, but very rare. Until you get some fish in there to take care of the algae & detritus, you may see a LOT more snails for a while. My tank was overcrowded with snails (which hitchhiked in on plants) while I was cycling. Once it was about halfway stocked with fish, I'd hardly see snails anymore. So, no worries if you start seeing hundreds of snails in your tank (which is likely :hihi they will die off as their food supply dwindles.

It is healthy/natural to have a few of them around to help take care of extra food, etc.

Oh and, yes, those are snail eggs.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

One would think you could find any fish in the phillipines. Maybe you could try celestial pearl danios _(Danio margaritatus)_?


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

Yeah, I plan on keeping the snails. It would help my tank.
I see this one little snail guy on my tank's galss every morning. He helps clean especially since I don't have a magnet glass cleaner (yet). He grows fast. He likely doubled in size in 2 days.

My shrimps only clean the substrate. I never see them on plants.
I'll try to pass by the LFS today and get an oto or 2. 

Axelrodi: It's the same thing with saltwater fish. While our waters are abundant with a multitude of species of fish, the best ones are always exported to the US since it fetches a higher price there. Also, fish not endemic to the Philippines are difficult to come by here.

But I did see some CPDs at this one LFS where I got all my equipment and plants from. I'll do some research on them and probably get some in a week or so. I'm going to see how my otos fare first.

BTW, here's my tank. It's quite heavily planted. I'm sure an oto wouldn't starve there. I have 9.5 wpg


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

WPG doesn't really apply to small tanks.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

My Dario Dario eat frozen Hikari bloodworms, and live grindals.


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

There are no Hikari products here in this pitiful country and the only live food comercially available are brine shrimp, daphnia, blackworms.

I read they should be kept in 22-26 degrees? 
Weather here is around 30-32 degrees on a normal day.


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

Update: I got an oto before I decide on another centerpiece fish.
Problem is.. the past 2 days he has been very inactive. He breathes rapidly, and from time to time I see him lunge to the water surface. 

Is this a sign of too much CO2?
Ammonia and Nitrites at 0. Nitrates at 5.

My CO2 is DIY 2 liter bottle. about 2-3 bubbles per second.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

No, it's normal for Otos to go to the surface for air, many catfish do this.

And they often pick a favorite spot and nap during the day, and are more active at night.

Does he look thin and pinched, or is his belly nicely rounded and full?

www.Otocinclus.com is a great resource for you.


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## jourdy (Jul 2, 2009)

lauraleellbp said:


> No, it's normal for Otos to go to the surface for air, many catfish do this.
> 
> And they often pick a favorite spot and nap during the day, and are more active at night.
> 
> ...


He has a rounded belly, plump. 
Thanks for the link. It is really appreciated since I'm currently using a mobile phone and it is hard to browse over the internet.

This made me feel a bit more relieved.


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