# algae eaters



## laxfanweeb (Mar 2, 2011)

I have two crayfish and they are in with 4 minnows and I just added some fluke snails to try and get rid of algae. I find myself wiping down the glass and doing patial water changes daily. Does anyone have crayfish with any sort of alge eaters? mine eat snails so I often replace them and won't put any big snails in with them because I don't want them to die.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Cray fish tend to kind of eat anything they can swipe with their claws....

I've been checking online - lots of people have been keeping plecos with cray fish with no problems, but you need to find a pleco that is bigger than your cray fish. Some have even said that the cray fish will sometimes grab a pleco and injure it by pinching or biting it. So...... I don't know..... I guess it's kind of a 50/50 chance.... I don't think I'd want to take those odds with any fish.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Agreed with Holly - Crays are kinda a**holes. However, as long as you don't mind adding something that might turn into lunch, then I would say you're fine. I had six black stripe tetras in with my cray and we used to turn the room lights on at night to try and catch him "fishing". Sadly, Jacques succumbed to something I couldn't figure out.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Good morning lax. From your post, I believe your algae problem is too much for fish to make a difference. From my experience with algae there are three things that will control it. The first is plants. You need some stems and a lot of them. Water Sprite, Water Wisteria, Rotala and Lugwigia are the best. They're fast growing and will use up the available nutrients in the water and essentially starve the algae. 

Start using a liquid fertilizer that contains "gluteraldehyde". This is a type of carbon that complex plants use, but is toxic to a primitive plant like algae. Seachem's Flourish Excel is a good product, just dose your tank according to instructions.

Last, give your tank time to mature. As any tank ages, and plants grow, the algae will die back. Then, just do frequent and large water changes to maintain the tank. I've followed these steps for several years and never had an algae problem.

BBradbury


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## laxfanweeb (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I don't really have an algae problem per se, it's a coldwater tank that is planted but those little bastards keep digging the plants up. I am not using a fertilizer so thank you I will definately look into it today. the water just gets kind of cloudy and the glass can get a bit slimy. Basically it looks like their natural habitat and I would love to keep it as clear as the tropical tank. I thought about a larger pleco but the tank isn't really big enough and I just saw one of the crays take down a fish twice his size this morning. I don't know if you've seen these virile crayfish but man they are super aggressive. I hate when they dig the plants up cause then I have to put my fingers in there and they aren't afraid and will sometimes go after me.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello again lax. Didn't know you kept a "cold water" tank. Must have missed that info. somewhere. Your tank conditions may not work for the plants I suggested, they're strictly tropical. However, the carbon fert will help your plants.

BBradbury


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