Small herbivorous fish?

[Elaine T]

Does anyone know of any small plant/algae eating fish that would work in
a desktop aquarium or filtered bowl? I'm looking for something to keep
at school which I can feed 2-3 times a week and which would forage on
plants/algae for the rest of its diet. Supplying enough fresh plants
for the fish to munch on is not a problem.

I've considered cherry shrimp, but the shipping makes the cost
prohibitive and I'd really rather have fish. Otos might work but don't
really *do* much. Goldfish and most of the herbivorous barbs get too
large for a desktop setup.

It seems like most of the tiny fish in the hobby - rasboras, small
tetras, danios, killies, guppies, or pygmy cories come to mind - are
micropredators and pretty much leave plants alone. The only thing I can
come up with are Florida flagfish, and I don't know whether they'll eat
the fuzzy, green algae that's easiest to grow.

Any ideas, anyone? I MUST have overlooked something.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Charles]

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 01:10:49 GMT, Elaine T >
wrote:

>Does anyone know of any small plant/algae eating fish that would work in
>a desktop aquarium or filtered bowl? I'm looking for something to keep
>at school which I can feed 2-3 times a week and which would forage on
>plants/algae for the rest of its diet. Supplying enough fresh plants
>for the fish to munch on is not a problem.
>
>I've considered cherry shrimp, but the shipping makes the cost
>prohibitive and I'd really rather have fish. Otos might work but don't
>really *do* much. Goldfish and most of the herbivorous barbs get too
>large for a desktop setup.
>
>It seems like most of the tiny fish in the hobby - rasboras, small
>tetras, danios, killies, guppies, or pygmy cories come to mind - are
>micropredators and pretty much leave plants alone. The only thing I can
>come up with are Florida flagfish, and I don't know whether they'll eat
>the fuzzy, green algae that's easiest to grow.
>
>Any ideas, anyone? I MUST have overlooked something.


Mollies are supposedly herbivorous, some of the other poecillias (sp?)
might work

[Elaine T]

Charles wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 01:10:49 GMT, Elaine T >
> wrote:
>
>
>>Does anyone know of any small plant/algae eating fish that would work in
>>a desktop aquarium or filtered bowl? I'm looking for something to keep
>>at school which I can feed 2-3 times a week and which would forage on
>>plants/algae for the rest of its diet. Supplying enough fresh plants
>>for the fish to munch on is not a problem.
>>
>>I've considered cherry shrimp, but the shipping makes the cost
>>prohibitive and I'd really rather have fish. Otos might work but don't
>>really *do* much. Goldfish and most of the herbivorous barbs get too
>>large for a desktop setup.
>>
>>It seems like most of the tiny fish in the hobby - rasboras, small
>>tetras, danios, killies, guppies, or pygmy cories come to mind - are
>>micropredators and pretty much leave plants alone. The only thing I can
>>come up with are Florida flagfish, and I don't know whether they'll eat
>>the fuzzy, green algae that's easiest to grow.
>>
>>Any ideas, anyone? I MUST have overlooked something.
>
>
>
> Mollies are supposedly herbivorous, some of the other poecillias (sp?)
> might work

I've had enough problems with aggression with Poecilia spp. in 2-5
gallon tanks that I'm not sure I want to try them. The males harass
each other with no females, or harass the females. In even 10 gallons
it's not a big deal but in a desktop aquarium there's nowhere for the
chasee to go.

[Charles]

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 05:33:07 GMT, Elaine T >
wrote:

>Charles wrote:
>> On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 01:10:49 GMT, Elaine T >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Does anyone know of any small plant/algae eating fish that would work in
>>>a desktop aquarium or filtered bowl? I'm looking for something to keep
>>>at school which I can feed 2-3 times a week and which would forage on
>>>plants/algae for the rest of its diet. Supplying enough fresh plants
>>>for the fish to munch on is not a problem.
>>>
>>>I've considered cherry shrimp, but the shipping makes the cost
>>>prohibitive and I'd really rather have fish. Otos might work but don't
>>>really *do* much. Goldfish and most of the herbivorous barbs get too
>>>large for a desktop setup.
>>>
>>>It seems like most of the tiny fish in the hobby - rasboras, small
>>>tetras, danios, killies, guppies, or pygmy cories come to mind - are
>>>micropredators and pretty much leave plants alone. The only thing I can
>>>come up with are Florida flagfish, and I don't know whether they'll eat
>>>the fuzzy, green algae that's easiest to grow.
>>>
>>>Any ideas, anyone? I MUST have overlooked something.
>>
>>
>>
>> Mollies are supposedly herbivorous, some of the other poecillias (sp?)
>> might work
>
>I've had enough problems with aggression with Poecilia spp. in 2-5
>gallon tanks that I'm not sure I want to try them. The males harass
>each other with no females, or harass the females. In even 10 gallons
>it's not a big deal but in a desktop aquarium there's nowhere for the
>chasee to go.
Just put females in, then no problem, right?

<:-)

[Elaine T]

Charles wrote:

>>I've had enough problems with aggression with Poecilia spp. in 2-5
>>gallon tanks that I'm not sure I want to try them. The males harass
>>each other with no females, or harass the females. In even 10 gallons
>>it's not a big deal but in a desktop aquarium there's nowhere for the
>>chasee to go.
>
> Just put females in, then no problem, right?
>
> <:-)

*chuckle* I wish female guppies were prettier and not always preggers.
Maybe I could try a couple of female dwarf platies and make sure
there's some algae growing in the tank.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[NetMax]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
...
> Charles wrote:
>
>>>I've had enough problems with aggression with Poecilia spp. in 2-5 gallon
>>>tanks that I'm not sure I want to try them. The males harass each other
>>>with no females, or harass the females. In even 10 gallons it's not a
>>>big deal but in a desktop aquarium there's nowhere for the chasee to go.
>>
>> Just put females in, then no problem, right?
>>
>> <:-)
>
> *chuckle* I wish female guppies were prettier and not always preggers.
> Maybe I could try a couple of female dwarf platies and make sure there's
> some algae growing in the tank.
>
> --
> Elaine T __

Don't know what a dwarf Platy is, but it reminded me about Balloon Mollies.
That might fit your criteria.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Elaine T]

NetMax wrote:
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Charles wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>I've had enough problems with aggression with Poecilia spp. in 2-5 gallon
>>>>tanks that I'm not sure I want to try them. The males harass each other
>>>>with no females, or harass the females. In even 10 gallons it's not a
>>>>big deal but in a desktop aquarium there's nowhere for the chasee to go.
>>>
>>>Just put females in, then no problem, right?
>>>
>>><:-)
>>
>>*chuckle* I wish female guppies were prettier and not always preggers.
>>Maybe I could try a couple of female dwarf platies and make sure there's
>>some algae growing in the tank.
>>
>>--
>>Elaine T __
>
>
> Don't know what a dwarf Platy is, but it reminded me about Balloon Mollies.
> That might fit your criteria.

As far as I know, dwarf platies are platies that have been line bred for
small size. They look like normal platies, but a bit "ballooned" and
considerably smaller. So far, I've seen them in coral and sunset.

I hadn't thought about balloon mollies - I usually go for lyretails.
They stay quite small, don't they? Maybe a couple of females in a 5
gallon with lots of soft plants and some algae would work out. They
probably wouldn't have as many swim bladder problems on the veggie diet
either.

Cool. Now I have some good ideas. Thanks, Charles and NetMax!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[lgb]

In article >, eetmail-
says...
> Does anyone know of any small plant/algae eating fish that would work in
> a desktop aquarium or filtered bowl? I'm looking for something to keep
> at school which I can feed 2-3 times a week and which would forage on
> plants/algae for the rest of its diet. Supplying enough fresh plants
> for the fish to munch on is not a problem.
>
I've got 5 female platys in a 5.5 gallon planted tank. Even with
feeding twice a day, they still munch on plants, especially the milfoil.
If you plant lots of milfoil they should be OK with an occasional
feeding.

--
BNSF = Build Now, Seep Forever

[Elaine T]

lgb wrote:
> In article >, eetmail-
> says...
>
>>Does anyone know of any small plant/algae eating fish that would work in
>>a desktop aquarium or filtered bowl? I'm looking for something to keep
>>at school which I can feed 2-3 times a week and which would forage on
>>plants/algae for the rest of its diet. Supplying enough fresh plants
>>for the fish to munch on is not a problem.
>>
>
> I've got 5 female platys in a 5.5 gallon planted tank. Even with
> feeding twice a day, they still munch on plants, especially the milfoil.
> If you plant lots of milfoil they should be OK with an occasional
> feeding.
>
Excellent! I'm definately going for dwarf platies, then. I'll let
everyone know how it works out once I get the tank all set up and
actually find healthy fish to put in it.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com