# Your Opinion, Best Shrimp to Eat Hair Algae!



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi,

I'm new to APC and need some advice. I didn't now if this is a shrimp question or an algae question but I would like to try to solve this problem with natural methods so here goes. My tank, set up for 6 weeks now, has some hair algae and some staghorn algae. I have three SAE and one Pleco on algae patrol, but they seem to need some extra help. Just Cardinal Tetras and Corys as other tankmates. 

Based upon your experience, which type shrimp seem to enjoy eating these algaes? Your comments are appreciated! Thanks,


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## NoSvOrAx (Nov 11, 2006)

Amanos are the best shrimp for eating algae imho.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Thank you for the quick response, based on your experience how many for a 45 gallon tank?


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Not shrimp, but if you can get a flag fish or borrow one for a day or two, it will devour all of it and be happy as a flag fish in a mess of hair algae.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Thank you goalcreas. 

The tetras are still pretty small, and the Flag Fish I have seen in the stores are large. I'm worried that the tetras might become lunch. Do you know if Flag Fish strictly herbivorous or will they eat anything that fits in their mouths?


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

I have them with Endlers and those are really small, been a long time like 8 months and I still have Endlers.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

That is good news, I will try to find a small one! Roy


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## John7429 (Jan 26, 2008)

I put my longfin rosy barbs in a tank that had hair algae problems and they cleaned it all up within a few hours.


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## Kets (Feb 20, 2008)

Black Sailfin mollies will work, or so Ive heard.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Amano's, Tiger's & Cherry shrimp in that order.


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## rwong2k (Jan 13, 2005)

in my tank, the american flag fish and endlers do a better job at those algae then amano shrimp, 

but the amano shrimp's not too far behind,

not too sure about cherry and crs since I keep them in a shrimp + moss tank


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful suggestions. Here is an update on my algae war, I'm starting to get the algae under control! Here is what I did:

First, dropped lighting to 10 hours per day split 5 hour periods
Second, stopped all fertilizers, but continued DIY CO2; 2 bottles 1 replaced every 7 days
Third, 20% water changes daily for a week; 20% twice a week thereafter
Fourth, added 3 SAE's and 2 Ottos
Fifth, after one week of no ferts, I started Flourish, Flourish Trace, and Flourish Iron (no others) per Flourish schedule

I kept the SAE's hungry by only feeding them 1/2 of an algae wafer daily in the evening. During the day if they wanted food they had to forage. After a few days they were nibbling on the hair algae. After about a week they were grazing on the hair algae and also eating some the BBA!

Today, the algae is almost completely gone! A few strands of hair algae here and there in the plants where the SAE's have trouble reaching. The BBA that the SAE's didn't eat I either pulled off or removed the old leaves that had the BBA when new leaves appeared. I still get a little of the green spot algae on some areas of the glass, but I remove that once a week. My plants are growing great; I mean everything is taking off like weeds!

Overall, I am very pleased with the results! I just wanted to pass on my experience for others to consider. Most of the above procedure I pieced together from other posts here on APC and TheKrib.
Thanks again to all who posted replies!


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## GlitcH (Aug 21, 2006)

Glad to hear you've got a handle on it.......SAE's are priceless in your situation.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks Glitch,

Just wanted people to know how things are turning out!


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