EEEEEEK

[Goldie]

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO My plants which have been growing well (with undergravel filter etc) have developed a horrible black growth on them. It started on a piece of hardwood with the Java fern. I discarded the poor ferns and scrubbed the hardwood and set it back all bare. TOO LATE for the other plants seem to be picking it up. Does this mean that I need to strip down the whole tank and begin again.???????

[Caryl]

Can you be a bit more descriptive? Is it hair-like or fluffy? Short or long? Grow on everything or just plants and logs? Clumps or spread out?

If it is what I think it is, you may have to strip the tank and start again.

[Goldie]

it is hairy and grows long. Black. I think you are right for it sure is tenacious.

Sigh I guess you are right re stripping the tank down. For I have tried severe pruning - I guess that the spores are in the water now?? Thanks for the help.

[Rob]

Sounds like it may be black algae/black brush algae. Some may say that this doesn't get very long, though I have successfully (but unintentionally) got it to grow to 4-5cm in length. The most effective way I have controlled it is by adding Siamese algae eaters (also called black line flying foxes) to the tank. Of course this will depend on whether they suit your tanks current inhabitants. Results wont be instant but they do eat it. As for the stripping down the tank and sterilising, this would probably work....until next time the algae establishes itself.

[ This Message was edited by: Rob on 2001-10-26 21:41 ]

[Caryl]

I agree with Rob Goldie. Note he recommends Siamese algae eaters, not Chinese algae eaters. They are two different fish. The Chinese ones are the ones that sucked your angel to death.

[Warren]

The algae you are talking about is a red algae. It is a very nasty one that sticks incredibly well to everything.

You do not need to strip your tank down at all. If you choose this method, you have to sterilise everything, throw away all the plants, rocks and wood in the tank and start completely from scratch. I do not recommend this method, as you will end up buying a plant that has the algae spores on it from a retail outlet anyway. Many of the plants sold in NZ have the spores sold with them, - there is no avoiding it.

It is possible to get rid of the algae. Following is an article that about the Siamese Algae Eater or Black Line Flying Fox as it is sometimes known (Crossocheilus siamensis).

How to make the algae go away:

I have found only one way to completely rid an aquarium of algae, and it involves a few steps that must all run in balance.

First, get some Crossocheilus siamensis. Next you need to add CO2. Next you have to physically remove all the algae you possibly can. Sometimes you will have to remove the whole leaf. Last you have to make sure all the necessary fertiliser ingredients are present in the correct proportions. If they are not, the algae can get a foothold again.

Also read the Sears-Conlin Report at http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilize ... onlin.html

This has a wealth of good advice.

Also visit the Articles / Technical Section to view my article on Aquarium Conditions.

Happy Fishkeeping.

Siamese Algae Eater

Siamese Algae Eater, Crossocheilus siamensis (Smith, 1931).

This slender algae eating barb is the only known fish that eats red algae. It comes from the flowing waters of Thailand and the Malay peninsula. It was first brought to Europe in 1962, but became popular in the 1970's when its ability to eat red algae was noticed. The fish is also known as Siamese Flying Fox, and Siamese Fox. It previous scientific name was Epalzeorhynchus siamensis. To those interested in the fine, but admittedly boring details of taxonomy, the genus Crossocheilus differs from Epalzeorhynchus by rhynal lobes (nasal lobes).

Description: It is a slender, grayish-brown fish with a distinctive black horizontal stripe. Maximum length is 15 cm (6") and might be obtained in two years, if the conditions are optimal. Normally they grow slower and don't always reach that size in captivity. They can live over 10 years. All the fins are transparent or slightly milky without any yellow or reddish sheen. The black band goes from nose to the fork of the tail and its edges are zig-zagged. When a fish is stressed or fighting the black color fades significantly. Underparts are silvery white and there is no light stripe over the black, but the whole upper body is brownish and every scale has a dark edge, which make the top look reticular. Some dark scale edges might be seen under the black stripe. It has a pair of thin, forward-pointing barbels but they might be pressed against the cheeks when fish is swimming or resting. The long black stripe is also easy to see in young fishes, but the scale edge pattern and zig-zag edges are not clearly visible until the fish reaches the length of 5-7 cm (2-3"); the ones that are normally seen in European shops are about 3-5 cm (1-2") long. Adult females are often slightly fatter than males, no other sexual differences are known.

Behavior: It is an active and fast swimmer, which thrives best in schools but can also be kept alone or in pairs. It is a strong jumper and should not be left unattended in small uncovered containers. Siamese Algae Eaters often chase one another, but they never get hurt in these fights. It doesn't bother any of its tankmates.

C. siamensis has a peculiar resting position: it doesn't lie flat on its belly but keeps its body propped up with its tail, pelvic and pectoral fins. Young fish sometimes rest on broad leaves, adult specimens prefer resting on bottom or dense, low plants like Cryptocorynes. The swim bladder is not very developed, so the fish can't stay in midwater but it must be in constant motion or it sinks.

Needs: Siamese Algae Eater is not very demanding. Suitable temperature is 24-26 C (75-79F). They can tolerate pH from 5.5 to 8.0, but 6.5-7.0 is ideal. Hardness should be less than 20 dH. Water should be clean and oxygenated, because they come from bright and fast-flowing streams. They eat algae, including red algae and all kind of live and prepared foods. It is very rare that they harm plants in their tank if they are given enough green food. They also eat algae when they are mature, but seem to prefer flake food. Liisa's fish eat Duckweed (Lemna minor) but have never touched any other plants. They haven't yet been bred in captivity, so all the specimens are caught from nature. It appears that the fish are seasonal and are not always available in the shops. Minimum tank size for a pair of adult Siamese Algae Eaters is 100 liters (25 gallons). The aquarium should be long and have lots of living plants.

Compatibility: As they are not aggressive, they can be kept in any community tank big enough. Their active behavior might stress some sensitive species like dwarf cichlids and prevent them from spawning. They should not be kept with Red-tailed Sharks (Epalzeorhynchus bicolor) unless the aquarium is large and well planted, because that species is very aggressive towards all its relatives.

Availability in the Aquarium Trade: The Siamese Algae Eater, Crossocheilus siamensis is quite common in Europe. In fact, it is one of the top ten fish sold in Finland. Although it became known to the American hobbyist in the 1980's through the translation of European literature, most notably The Optimum Aquarium, the fish has been virtually absent from the American aquarium scene. This might be attributed to several factors. First, some English language books did not publish the correct picture of the true SAE. These include the English edition of the Baensch Atlas, Volume I (same as the first German edition of this Volume) and the early editions of the "Axelrod Atlas." In these books, the illustrated fish is the "false siamensis," Garra taeniata or another Epalzeorhynchus species. Secondly, the true SAE is thought to be less colorful than several of its relatives. In fact, in some countries of Asia (e.g. Taiwan), this fish is known as "one like flying fox;" the fish we call false siamensis is known as "colorful flying fox."

[Goldie]

Thanks to you all. I sigh with relief at not having to face re setting the tank up again. I will purchase Siamese algae eater and follow the advice given.

How great to be able to have such support right on my desk Will let you all know what happens.

[Warren]

Note: Siamese Algae Eaters do not eat adult algae. All the large tufts need to be removed manually. The SAE's will only eat the new algae when it is in the 0-1mm size as it is still soft and edible.