Algae eaters with a wide temperature range.

Hi, I have aquariums that are unheated. We have a large goldfish and a catfish,
in one (10gal) and telscope eyed goldish and gobies (is that a local name?) in
the other (5gal). We have apple snails in both.

The tanks range in temperature from low 60's (F) in the winter, to around
85F in the summer. The average temp is about 65F from November to April
and 80F the rest of the year.

The fish I have seem to have no problems with the temperaure range.

However I have an algae problem. It grows on the glass (actually they
are acrylic) walls of the tank.

I would like to get rid of the algae. I was thinking the best way to do it
would be to get some algae eating fish. I am unable to go to the fish store,
so my wife went.

She was told the only algae eating fish they had must be kept at 26C
(around 78F). This is a problem as I don't really want to heat the tanks.

Can anyone recommend algae eating fish that can live in the temperature
range of my tanks?

It's also important that the ones in the small tank are not going to eat
the gobies or attack the goldfish, and the ones in the large tank will
not be eaten by the bigger fish.

Recommendations for fish, algae reduction techniques, etc would be
gratefully appreciated.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have aquariums that are unheated. We have a large goldfish and a
catfish,
in one (10gal) and telscope eyed goldish and gobies (is that a local
name?) in
the other (5gal). We have apple snails in both.

A 5g tank is much too small for a goldfish unless it's starved, which is
cruel, into staying undersize. A healthy goldfish grows quickly and they
are not small fish. By the time they're adults they need at least a
20g-long tank.

The tanks range in temperature from low 60's (F) in the winter, to around
85F in the summer. The average temp is about 65F from November to April
and 80F the rest of the year.

The fish I have seem to have no problems with the temperaure range.

However I have an algae problem. It grows on the glass (actually they
are acrylic) walls of the tank.

I don't know of any algae eater available in the stores that are
non-tropical. You can clean the glass yourself at the time you do your
partial water changes every week.

I would like to get rid of the algae. I was thinking the best way to do it
would be to get some algae eating fish. I am unable to go to the fish
store,
so my wife went.

She was told the only algae eating fish they had must be kept at 26C
(around 78F). This is a problem as I don't really want to heat the tanks.

Can anyone recommend algae eating fish that can live in the temperature
range of my tanks?

It's also important that the ones in the small tank are not going to eat
the gobies or attack the goldfish, and the ones in the large tank will
not be eaten by the bigger fish.

Please consider getting larger tanks as goldfish are not small fish when
healthy and well cared for. Also, algae eaters will not clean the glass
like a algae scrubber will.

Recommendations for fish, algae reduction techniques, etc would be
gratefully appreciated.

How often are you doing partial water changes? More would help by removing
the "waste" dissolved in the water that algae needs to thrive.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Reel McKoi wrote:
How often are you doing partial water changes? More would help by removing
the "waste" dissolved in the water that algae needs to thrive.

Obviously not often enough. I'll have to stick to a better schedule.

Thanks,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message
...
Reel McKoi wrote:
How often are you doing partial water changes? More would help by
removing
the "waste" dissolved in the water that algae needs to thrive.

Obviously not often enough. I'll have to stick to a better schedule.

Thanks,

Geoff.

--


The suckers often called chinese algae eaters are good algae eaters, and
have a nice range of temperatures they can handle.
Other things that help are increasing water movement, increasing filter
bacteria populations in filters, floating a chunk of tied up barley straw
and as above, more frequent partial water changes.
Remember to be nice to your filters! Only rinse the sponges with water taken
from the pond. Doing this lets you keep the bacteria alive and they are what
removes most of the ammonia that causes many algae blooms. RInsing the
filter sponges under the tap kills off the bacteria and makes much more fish
waste available to the algae.