# Hair Algae Eaters?



## mattguzi (Nov 14, 2006)

What are the best "critter" (fish, shrimp, snail) solutions for hair algae? I have a small-med case of it and would like to knock it out before it potentially becomes worse. 

My set up is a newly planted 75 gal. tank with EcoComplete as substrate. Lighting is CF of 2x55w of 6700k for 10hrs/day and 2x55w of 9325k for 4hrs/day. Once its fully planted I'll worry more about the parameters that are allowing the algae to grow (hair that came with plants seems to be the only algae growing right now). Right now, I'd like to have a critter solution to keep it managable until the tank is fully established.

Thanks for the help!


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

mattguzi said:


> What are the best "critter" (fish, shrimp, snail) solutions for hair algae? I have a small-med case of it and would like to knock it out before it potentially becomes worse.
> 
> My set up is a newly planted 75 gal. tank with EcoComplete as substrate. Lighting is CF of 2x55w of 6700k for 10hrs/day and 2x55w of 9325k for 4hrs/day. Once its fully planted I'll worry more about the parameters that are allowing the algae to grow (hair that came with plants seems to be the only algae growing right now). Right now, I'd like to have a critter solution to keep it managable until the tank is fully established.
> 
> Thanks for the help!


I read that you cannot beat the Florida Flag Fish, Black Molly, and Rosy Barb for thread/hair algae consumption.


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## npnailer (Apr 16, 2007)

I have 7 flag fish in my native tank(which is a potential algae monster, as I actually encourage a reasonable growth of it!). They pretty much spend the entire day grazing like cattle! They also eat anything else in the tank they can fit in their mouths..but they definitely have a liking for hair algae. I know that some on here have had "behavioral" issues with them..but so far, they have been fine in my rather eclectic community tank, and have bothered no one at all after the first day or so. (maybe because I also have a "patrol" of 6 central mud minnows that do NOT put up with bullies..they don't start the crap, but they WILL finish it in short order...as the flagfish found out the first couple of days!).
I'll be honest..I don't know how they are with more sensitive plants..but with mine(all natives, and fairly robust) they don't seem to have done any noticeable damage. They are great algae eaters though, and don't require the amount of salt that mollies do to be really happy.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

For shrimp: Amano, Tiger & Cherry's.


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## Gilmith (Nov 11, 2007)

I had a bad hair / rhizo mix problem in a 45 day old set up - 100 g. 384w Ah CF - 30ppm +/- CO2 injected. Daily ferts. WQ pretty good so it's a lighting issue I think. Plant growth was stready, algae growth was rapid.

Cut the light back to 6.5 hrs from 8. 2 tear downs later and it was back again. I have yet to ballance my light / Co2/ fert mix. But I did buy myself some time with the addition of 8 mollies. $.99 a pop- 3 days later they have mowed down about 90% of what was there. Another one of those- should have taken pic's moments.....It's a little shocking. 

10 Otto's
4 SAE's
and all my hitchhiker snails round out the mix.


But the mollies are the key- just don't feed them till they harvest their fill.


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