# bga algae eaters?



## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

Are there any fish that will eat BGA?

I understand SAEs eat BBA and FL flag fish do as well...


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## |squee| (Feb 3, 2005)

Blue green algae? No fish will eat it. It's a bacteria after all  

From what I know, BGA means nitrates in your tank are really low. Up that nitrate level. 

Correct me if I'm wrong here


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## Neptun (Dec 18, 2004)

From what I know, Black Molly will eat some kinds of Cyano.
I have even seen a film of it in action.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

_Did you mean BBA?_

BGA is toxic to fish, this is why they will not eat it.

To get rid of BGA you will need to treat with E-mycin or do a blackout. BGA is not a algae but a bacteria.


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

Nope. I meant BGA --- its kind of a flourescent green-looking algae with a bluish hint to it and its forming spots on the substrate and a little on the driftwood. I also seem to have hair algae pretty bad ---- long bright green strands coming off the driftwood and slower growing plants. Yes, my nitrates are fairly low --- around 5ppm when I tested a couple days ago. Phosphates stay around 1-1.5 ppm, ph = 6.6, kh=5. I dose pmdd every other day ---> "Fleet" for phosphates, KNo3, CSM+B extra Fe, KCl..... 
The tank was just set up about 3 weeks ago (see my signature for summary of equipment) and after the start of green water about a week ago(which I wiped out by not dosing for a few days and doing a huge water change), a pH dump from a near-empty tank that killed all the fish, the tank has been fish-less for close to a week now and the hair algae and bga has been coming on pretty strong. I bought 2 SAEs and 3 ottos today and plan on buying 1 or 2 more SAEs and some amano & cherry shrimp when I take a trip to "the city" tomorrow. I could upload some pics if that would help, but I'm sure this is what I have. I just haven't had it this bad before. The tank is heavily planted with a large, densly packed mid and background full of stem plants like cabomba, ludwigia repens, red foxtail and a few others... Any ideas to rid of this algae terror? My hope is that the SAEs, ottos and shrimp will help keep it in check.


Note: well, my signature doesn't seem to be showing up, so here it is:
20H tank, 100% flourite, Pressurized Co2 w/ ehim diffuser/reactor, Eheim Pro cannister 2222 (132 gph), Aquaclear powerhead (to prevent surface film), 2x55w 6700k ah supply "bright kit" w/ reflectors.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

You need to either increase N03 or decrease P04, it would recommend increasing N03. 

The BGA can only be gotten rid of by E-mycin or a blackout. However your tank is still new and algae is common in a new setup, so I would give it some time to Seattle in and see what happens.

It is always good to keep a variety of algae eaters. I would not put no more than two SAE's in a 20G tank, they will outgrow it and will eventually have to be removed. I would get a Bristle nose Pleco instead.

I suggest removing the Aqua clear filter and use a surface skimmer instead for the surface scum.


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## synchiropus (Mar 11, 2005)

Manual removal might be your best approach. Also I would lower the phosphate to under 1 ppm.


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

Ok, I removed some of the larger strands of hair algae, but there's still plenty of both hair algae and BGA -- the green spot algae on the glass is more apparent on the back(where I don't wipe usually), but I have a few snails working on that --- picked up 1 or 2 a couple weeks ago with some plants, now I have 4 or 5  if it gets out of hand, I'll buy a yo-yo loach or 2 -- or a kuhli if they eat them. 
I'm going to dose tonight, but I'll do a little more KNo3 than I usually do and leave out Phosphate this time, to see what happens. I think it just needs time and addition of algae eaters to help out. I may even pick up a couple platys or swordtails for some color, plus they eat some algae also...you just have to "starve" them. Thanks for all the replies. I'll give this a try.


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## synchiropus (Mar 11, 2005)

Pangio kuhli (Kuhli loaches) don't eat snails I have one and it does not effect the snail population.


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## Neptun (Dec 18, 2004)

trenac said:


> BGA is toxic to fish, this is why they will not eat it.


Black Molly's do eat BGA!

I read up on it in a Swedish forum where the same discussion was made a few months ago. The video I mentioned, where black Molly's eat BGA, was made by Defdac (January 2005 tank of the month). Unfortunately it is no longer available from his blog.


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

I bought 2 more SAEs, 12 amano shrimp and 5 cherry shrimp(1 died) yesterday, so hopefully the algae problem will start to go away. I don't think it would be a good idea at this point to add Mollies, as I'm worried about the shrimp getting munched on. What is wierd, is that what I THINK is BGA(now I'm not even certain) is covering the top of the driftwood and some of the plants, but there are generally long, green strands coming off of it --- sounds a bit more like a bad case of hair algae, I don't know... I'll try to get some pics tonight.
The wierdest thing is, is that the algae seems to be *pearling*, but the bubbles are staying on the algae itself, whereas when the plants were healthy, they were pearling the *normal* way. Currently, it looks pretty unattractive with all the algae and stationary bubbles on almost every surface that is growing algae. I started the Co2 up again last night, since the tank was empty and it took a couple days to get everything going again with the Co2. I'll check when I get home-- hopefully things are improving. If not, I'll submit a picture so people can at least confirm what I have. Thank you.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

If you indeed have BGA forget the dosing, put 200 mg. of Erythromycin in every 10 gals. and in 2-3 days the tank will be clean. Vacuum and do a good size water change at that time.

Other kinds of algae seem to get suppressed but not killed by the EM, so there is nothing to loose. I don't think EM will harm the bacteria in the filter.

--Nikolay


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## psidriven (Feb 21, 2004)

Niko,
Any suggestions or recommendations for type of Erythromycin and place to get it? I'm assuming that powder would be the best or are there quick desolving tablets?

Really appreciate this info as I've been dealing w/ BGA slime algae for months now. Got it to die off and shrink a little but now it's coming back w/ a vengence. It's threatening to swallow my sinking eltiane and smother my pellia.

thanks,
Tony


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Tony... I have used Maracyn by _Mardel_, full strength (1tab per 10G) for 5 days. The BGA has never returned.


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## psidriven (Feb 21, 2004)

trenac - thanks for the pointing me in the right direction. I'll give it a try and hope it does the trick. So I would dose 3 tabs (have a 30 gallon) every day for 5 days? Would this affect fw shrimp? I have amanos, rudolph, cherry and crystal reds.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Yes, 1 tab per 10 gallons every 24 hours for 5 days. Shrimp will be ok.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

EM will kill bacteria. Overdosing (even by accident) will kill off established bacteria in your tank. Even using the recommend dose may send your tank into a mini cycle.


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## psidriven (Feb 21, 2004)

Trenac and all, thanks for the advice on the antiboitic. Followed instructions and worked like a charm. No more slime BGA. Tanks looking much better. Now to do some trimming...


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

I'm curious as to how it is that it's so easy to get ahold of an anti-biotic in the US. Is this stuff sold over the counter?

Over here *all* antibiotics are prescription only.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

For fish you can buy E-mycin over the counter at any pet store. If you need a anti-biotic for yourself or a dog you can only get those by prescription.


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## jimjim (Jan 25, 2004)

*Bga*

Believe it or not there are certain small red ramshorn snails that will eat BGA. I've found them several times over the las 40 years. The one big problem with them is, for snails, to have a low breeding rate. I have about a few dozen now I'm trying to raise. Just sent some to HeyPK, Maybe he can get them to raise better than me...Jimjim


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I would sure like to get my hands on some!


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## Nymph (Apr 6, 2005)

jimjim said:


> Believe it or not there are certain small red ramshorn snails that will eat BGA. I've found them several times over the las 40 years. The one big problem with them is, for snails, to have a low breeding rate. I have about a few dozen now I'm trying to raise. Just sent some to HeyPK, Maybe he can get them to raise better than me...Jimjim


Got a name for this critter or a picture?


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