Alage Eaters?

[ryan]

Hi! I'm wondering what do most newt breeders keep together with their newts. I've attempted to introduce some Algae Eaters but they were promptly chomped up by my Pleurodeles waltl. Subsequent entrants were also eaten. I thus have a growing algae problem in my tank.
Has anybody encoutnered such carnivorous Pleurodeles waltl? Can anyone suggest a solution? Thanks!!

 

[chris]

It's best not to introduce any fish in with the newts, but pond snails are good for eating algae as long as they are not eaten. If you get the small ones consiodered 'pests' by fish people, they probably won't be eaten and reproduce really quickly.
Chris

 

[elisabeth]

Get some big snails, bigger than the newts' mouths. Also, ghost shrimp are very fast. I have two in my newt tank, and they tease the newts because they're too fast for them.

 

[joeri]

I have a 1.20m tank with 6 pleuros in it. I have no snails, nor algae-eaters. I have no lamp above the tank and it's not in direct sunlight. The plants in it are easy growing plants so they can handle lesser light. (read: lot's of plants)

I barely have any problem with algae in this tank. I scrub the "windows" once every few weeks and it's not even a big deal.

I also have a smaller tank with 2 CFB and there is a light in it. Boy do I have to scratch algae!
Maybe you use a lamp as well? See if you can handle without. Goodluck.

 

[ryan]

yeah my tank's below the window so I do get algae growing pretty fast. Hmm ok I shall go look for snails. But won't they also start eating the leaves of my plants?
Ghost shrimp? Tried that. They got eaten at night, most probably when they were sleeping
Thanks guys!

 

[jesper]

Depends on the type of snails I would say, the one considered to be pests by fish-people are great, they only eat the dead parts of the plants thus I dont have to go in with scissors. My waltls tend to try to eat them though, havent succeeded yet...

 

[samuel]

Hi Ryan,

Those snails that Jesper mentioned usually come with plants and are not on sale. Larger snails like ramhorns r not reccommended according to some as they may cuz injury to ur newts. If u get the smaller snails that comes with plants, be forwarned... they poop and breed like nobody's business and r virtually impossible to eradicate frm the tank. U might want to move the tank to a shaded area cuz sunlight encourages algae growth and it'll warm up the water for ur newts (especially the Singaporean sun). U may want to intro more plants or up the frequency of water changes to reduce nitrate levels. All the best.

Sam

 

[elisabeth]

You have to remember that snails are scavengers. My snail hasn't even looked at my plants. There's enough algae and bits of food to go around. I wouldn't worry about your plants unless you get a snail and it becomes a problem.
Oh, and my snail just had a baby!

 

[samuel]

Xixarro, is it safe to house orientalis with otos? i just got one recently to help out in the tank. Does ur bacteria theory apply here?

Sam

 

[joeri]

What are otos?

If you're not sure, use this as a guideline to be completely sure. In origin, do these animals live together or not? If not I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[samuel]

Orientalis live in fishless waters. Otos or Otoniculus are algae eaters.

 

[kaysie]

elizabeth, snails dont just "have a baby". they lay thousands of eggs. they have LOTS of babies...

 

[chris]

Samuel Im no where near a por with cfbn but I have a oto in the tank with mine and tehere seems to be no problems

 

[chris]

thats pro...sorry

 

[joel]

A few that I know of:

Otocinclus
Pleco
Siamese Algae Eater
Chinese Algae Eater

This few are primarily herbivorous but there are also others that eat algae like mollies. Snails like apple snails don't breed so quickly and will remove algae. Not all of the algae eaters listed are suitable for planted tanks.

 

[elisabeth]

Yeah, I know Kaysie, but I guess only one hatched. That's what I mean by that. I wonder what happened to the eggs though. I never saw any. Do they lay them in sand or something?

 

[samuel]

Elizabeth, they lay em in the drift wood for my case. Once in a while i'll see some new ones on em. Chris, it's not the aggressiveness of the otos to the newts or viceversa i'm worried abt but as Xixxaro said, their microbial compatibility. Hehe, btw my oto poops ALOT... wonder if it would harm the newt if it ingested the poop along with the worms since the poop is almost everywhere.

Sam

 

[joeri]

@Elizabeth: snails lay leggs everywhere. In plants, on your tank, between stones,... everywhere. And allways more than one. Even if you can't see them, there are lots of them. I know fish often eat snaileggs, why wouldn't newts do the same?

@Sam: I am not an expert in those bacteries. But cynops are a bit sensitive so if I were you, I'd just clean the tank enough and keep water in balance. On the other hand, algae eaters can be put with allmost anything. Maybe, also with newts?
Maybe you might stress out your newts as well by intoducing the oto.
Sorry I can't help you more.

 

[samuel]

Haha, the newts seem to stress the oto more than the other way round. Thanx anyways.

 

[samuel]

Hmm... i've removed the oto now. It poops too much...