Daphnia

[jesper]

Hmm, about algae-eater - what is spines really?
To me it would be the "things" that keep the dorsal and pectoral fins up.
However when I take a look at algae-eaters like otocinclus and Crossocheilus siamensis they seem to lack what I feel is spines.

 

[edward]

Hi Jesper,
Have you physically handled Otocinclus? I seem to remember that they had erectable spines that can be locked into place.

Ed

 

[edward]

Hi Jessica,
If you are willing to spend the money you can purchase a canistar filter like a Magnum that has a micron filter (usually used with diatom powder). (I would skip the diatom powder). The micron filter is fine enough to remove most of the floating particles (known as "polishing" the water). This will remove the excess particles creating a cleaner aquarium without disrupting the established aquarium but this should be used in addition to water changes and not instead of the water changes.
Ed

 

[jesper]

Hi Ed,
I just stopped by a pet shop and bought myself two
Crossocheilus siamensis!
Some buying tips:
If you get one be sure that the fins are totally transparant no yellow or black tinges, also check that they only have one pair of barbs. The black stripe goes from the nose to the fork of the tailfin, the look-a-likes have bands that either stops before the tailfin and/or at the eyes. There are two variants that look almost exactly like them but with these characteristics you should be able to tell them apart.

No I haven't handled otocinclus, I'm hoping to get some input - I just threw my current opinion out there. So otocinclus isn't a good idea then...

 

[jesper]

Uh-oh....
My ensicauda have started to chase the siamensis...
They kind of share the same spot in the water column and the siamensis are totally unafraid...
Not good..

 

[jesper]

****!
Should have bought the bigger ones - had to take them out, it was just a matter of time before the ensicauda had caught them....
They have plenty of guppies to eat but noooo of course not, they have to try to eat my little cleaners.

I'll fatten them up then they are going back!

 

[edward]

Hi Jesper,
I suspect your siamese algae eaters are being chased because they are new, and are acting stressed. This makes them potential food which just has to be checked out.
Ed

 

[jessica]

Ed
I know it is a possibility that a filter would help with my issues but the current from the filter I had before seemed to annoy the newt. Would a canister filter create less current? Thanks

 

[jesper]

Jessica, if the flow is disturbing the newts just break the flow - no need to reduce the flow. I think Jennewt posted a pic of her way to do this. I usually just tube the flow to an island.

 

[alan]

I'd recommend ramshorn snails rather than fish for algae control in newt tanks.

 

[jesper]

Any special reasons other than the previously mentioned?

 

[alan]

Fish always wind up bothering the caudates, competing for food, or being eaten.

 

[edward]

Snails like other aquatic organisms are also subject to predation by by newts. It may depend on the species of newt and the species of snail but this is a possibility.
Also snails just like fish have feeding preferences for different types of algaes. I used ramshorns in with larval fish and the snails would feed on the fish foods more readily than the algae that colonized the side of the aquarium. (the snails would even feed on brine shrimp and enchytraeus).
The drawback for snails is that you either need a very dense population to affect algae growths (assuming it is an algae they will feed on) or very little algae.
Ed

 

[jesper]

"Fish" is quite a lot, don't you think there is some that don't bother caudates much?
As for food competition - that is not a problem if you handfeed.

 

[alan]

Well, I agree that the real solution is to avoid excess nutrients in the tank and solve the problem that way. However, I've found a *FEW* ramshorns in a tank (e.g. 1-2 per 10 gallons) to be useful little helpers too. It's unreasonable to expect them to keep the whole tank free of algae, but they fact that they also dispose of uneaten food is a plus for me.

 

[jesper]

Yes I like to use the little buggers as well, problem being that my newts seem to be little frenchmen - They simply eat all of them in no time.

Ramshorn's snails are the small ones commonly getting a free ride on plants right?

 

[alan]

The ramshorns I'm talking about are the large red or black ones about an inch in diameter. I'd be too scared to keep any newt that ate these as adults!

 

[joeri]

Alan, how do you handle that layer of oil snails leave behind? I find it very disturbing especially when I want to take pictures of my newts from above. Any tips?

I have (in my fish tanks) the chinese algae eater, Gyrinocheilus aymonieri. It doesn't have any spines, but I wouldn't recommend it to newt tanks. It's a rather aggressive, territorial fish. Might work newts on their nerves.
Just informing you guys on this specimen, so you wouldn't accidently pick this fish and get in trouble later on

 

[alan]

I've never found that snails leave a layer of oil. This surface scum is common in many non-aerated tanks, but it's nothing to do with the snails. In fact, snails will often "graze" upside down on the surface film and remove material like this.
Breaking the surface film with aeration or moving water will eliminate this film.