how do you clean a fish tank after a fish has died
To have some algae in your tank is completely normal and natural, and is actually a sign of a healthy aquarium.
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Whilst some aquarists advocate that your tank should be pristine, and have no algae growth at all, this is not natural or healthy. You only have to look at any natural environment in which fish inhabit to see this.
While algae is OK to have in small quantities, it can grow quickly and it is important not to let the algae in your tank take over.
There are a number of ways you can control algae growth in your tank.
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Some are simpler than others, and prevention is often better than cure.
The best solution to algae problems is to manage your nitrate levels and light exposure to the tank. The most effective way to do this is to maintain good water conditions by regular water changes, keeping the tank out of sunlight, and only lighting your tank around 6 hours per day.
Whilst no one, single fish will not solve an algae problem; there are a number of species that feed on algae and will therefore reduce some of the algae in your tank.
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Best Fish Algae Eaters
1. Twig Catfish
Name: Twig Catfish/Whiptail Catfish (Rineloricaria lanceolate)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min tank size of 12 gallons per pair. pH 6.0-8.0 Moderately soft water. They don't respond well to large water changes.
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Care Level: Easy – Intermediate
Maximum Size: 4 inches (10cm)
Compatible With: Docile species such as tetras, Pencil fish and Hatchets. They are vulnerable to attacks from Bards and Cichlids.
Extra Information: This fish will eat most species of algae but its diet will need to be supplemented.
2. Bristlenose Plecos
Name: Bristlenose Pleco, Bristle Nosed Pleco, Bristlenose Catfish, Bushynose Catfish (Ancistrus temminckii, Ancistrus sp.)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size- 25 gallons. pH 6.5-7.5 Slightly Soft – Slightly Hard Water
Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 5 inches (12cm)
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Compatible With: Can be housed with most fish in a community tank.
Extra Information: This is just the general species name; they come in a wide variety of colours. They do tend to darken with age.
3. Siamese Flying Fox
Name: Siamese Flying Fox
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size – 20 gallons. pH 5.5-7.5 Soft to Slightly Hard water
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Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 6.3 inches (16cm)
Compatible With: Most fish. Should not be kept with red tailed shark and can be aggressive towards own species, so limit to 1-5 in a 20 gallon tank.
Extra Information: Will eat algae from plants, glass and decorations as well as left over flake food, vegetables and live food.
4. Siamese Algae Eater
Name: Siamese Algae Eater
Tank Size and Conditions: Min tank size of 30 gallons. pH 6.5-7.0. Temperature 75-79F
Care Level: Moderate
Maximum Size: 6 inches
Compatible With: Great for community aquariums, and have be housed with a wide range of fish including tetras, other barbs, plecos and corydoras etc.
Extra Information: Prefers a planted aquarium with lots of broad-leaved plants it can rest on. The Siamese Algae Eater is not a fussy eater; it will eat algae of live plant leaves and should also be fed a mixture of protein and vegetable-based food.
5. Mollies (And other Live Bearers)
Name: Mollies (Poecilia sphenops)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size – 20 gallons. Water – pH 7.5 – 8.5.
Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 2 – 4 inches (5-10cm)
Compatible With: Swordtails, Angelfish, Corydoras Catfish, Platies, and bigger tetras.
Extra Information: Whilst Mollies are not generally thought as of an 'algae-eating fish' they will eat algae from rocks and plants. They certainly won't get rid of as much algae as the other species mentioned here, but they are attractive fish.
6. Otocinclus Catfish
Name: Otocinclus Catfish (Otocinclus sp.)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size – 30 gallons. pH 6.5-7.5. The tank should also have driftwood and plenty of leaf litter.
Care Level: Med-Difficult
Maximum Size: 2 inches (5cm)
Compatible With: Any peaceful community fish. Not suitable with large cichlids.
Extra Information: One of the smallest algae-eating fish and suitable for a smaller aquarium. Best kept in small groups.
Best Snail Algae Eaters
7. Malaysian Trumpet Snail
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Name: Malaysian Trumpet Snail (Melanoides tuberculata)
Tank Size and Conditions: 10 gallons. Water – pH 7.0-7.5.
Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 2cm
Compatible With: Peaceful community fish.
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Extra Information: They are quick to reproduce so some aquarists will avoid them.
8. Ramshorn Snail
Name: Ramshorn Snail (Planorbidae)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size – 5 gallons. Water – pH 6.5-7.5
Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 2cm
Compatible With: Other peaceful community fish. If your tank becomes overpopulated with these snails, some fish such as Cichlids and Loaches will eat them.
Extra Information: Great for heavily planted aquariums, as most other snails would attack the plants. Ramshorn Snails tend to leave plants alone if there is enough algae and dead plant matter. They can breed quickly.
9. Nerite Snails
Name: Nerite snails (Neritina sp.)
Tank Conditions: pH 7.5 – 8.5 Soft to Slightly Hard water
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Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
Compatible With: Most community fish. Avoid loaches, cichlids, crayfish and goldfish.
Extra Information: Proven algae eaters, come in many different shapes and sizes. Nerites don't grow too big and breed slowly. Usually, stay at the bottom of the tank and are good for cleaning substrate.
10. Mystery Snail
Name: Mystery snail (Pomacea bridgesii)
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Tank Size and Conditions: Water – ph 7.6-8.4 hard water
Care Level: Beginner
Maximum Size: 2 inches (5cm)
Compatible With: Other peaceful non-aggressive tank mates: tetras, guppies, and killifish
Extra Information: Their complex eyes are placed on a cephalic eyestalk. There are no other sensory organs in the eyestalk, so it can completely regrow after a few short weeks if severed.
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Best Shrimp Algae Eaters
11. Amano Shrimp
Name: Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size – 5 gallons. Water – pH 6.5 – 7.5 Soft to Slightly Hard Water
Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 2 inches (5cm)
Compatible With: small to midsize non-aggressive community tank mates. Avoid aggressive fish such as goldfish and cichlids.
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Extra Information: In my opinion, this is the best algae-eating shrimp available. They thrive in groups of 3 or more.
12. Cherry Shrimp
Name: Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda var)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min 2 gallons for 2-4 shrimps. Water – pH 6.5 – 8.0.
Care Level: Easy
Maximum Size: 1.6 inches (4cm)
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Compatible With: Non-aggressive fish such as neon tetra, Otocinclus Catfish, Dwarf Rasbora and some killies. Avoid keeping them with large fish such as Angelfish and Cichlids.
Extra Information: They are bright red and add a splash of colour to your aquarium. Good for cleaning the algae in tricky places which algae-eating fish can't reach.
13. Ghost Shrimp
Name: Ghost Shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.)
Tank Size and Conditions: Min Tank Size – 5 gallons. Water – pH 6.5 – 8.0.
Care Level: Easy
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Maximum Size: 2 inches (3-5cm)
Compatible With: Small less aggressive fish. Avoid keeping them with large fish; they are likely to eat them.
Extra Information: Arguably not as great as the Cherry or Amano Shrimp, but they are good for eating hair algae.
Which Algae Eater Would You Choose?
As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all, best algae eater.
It is very much dependant on what fish you keep, the size of your tank, and the type of algae you are looking to eliminate.
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If you have a peaceful community tank, you have quite a wide range of options for algae eaters.
If you have larger aggressive fish, you may be more limited, but there are still options.
Do you know which species you'll choose for your tank ? Are there any other species which you'd recommend keeping to help reduce the amount of algae in your aquarium? We'd love to hear from you, let us know in the comments section below…
how do you clean a fish tank after a fish has died
Source: https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/13-must-have-algae-eaters-for-your-aquarium/
Posted by: eakinsgintre.blogspot.com
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