Problem with Algae

Scenario:
Two axolotls.
Sand substrate.
Once-weekly water changes.
Plants in tank.

But algae levels are just a bit too high - its not REALLY bad, but look at the pics of all you guys, they're immaculate! I'm getting one of those magnet side-of-tank things after christmas, but there's still algae on the plants etc.

How do I keep my water completely clear (water changes aren't doing it) and my sand and plants algae-free?

Good filter, water changes, and if it gets awful...find a few snails to assist your cleaning. Get either ones small enough to easily be passed if eaten, or too large to swallow. Snails tend to be really good algae cleaners.

Although algae is unsightly, it actually does your water parameters good. They help reduce ammonia, nitrite spikes and also use up some nitrates as well.

Almost all tanks will have a certain level of algae. I think the best way is to manually remove those conspicuous ugly tangles or just remove those obscuring visibility on the glass surface. You don't have to eliminate all.

Don't overscrub your tank ornaments and surfaces as well as you still want to preserve the beneficial bioslime.

Hi Harry,

I have the great good fortune of having a green thumb for algae (read of my woes here). There is a bit of info about alge on the Caudata Culture site here. If you are talking about the brown algae that makes a sort of smear on the glass, this just comes with the light you need for the other plants and I don't think it ever really goes away. You just wipe it off with that glass scraper before doing a water change and your tanks will look nice for awhile.

Other types of algae are a bit more difficult. There is lots of info in that other thread, though, so maybe you can find help there? In any case, I was able to get rid of the brush algae simply by physically removing the affected leaves, and the blue algae by adding mosses and other fast-growing plants which competed with the algae for food source and eventually won out. (I also added shrimp which were a great help with the brown algae, too.)

Good luck to you,

-Eva

What is your lighting schedule like? Too much light will cause big algae blooms which can be detrimental to good water chemistry in the long term. Reducing the lighting in the tank will help control algae, and make your axolotls much more visibly active. Axolotls like it dark!

Personally, I do not worry too much about algae. I only scrub the glass if I am going to take pictures.


As for the suggestion of snails to help control it, this is not a good idea at all. Many species of snail get large enough to pose a choking hazard to axolotls. Many, many more species will make a snack of your axolotl's skin and gills which can lead to infections. Many snails also carry parasites that can transfer to you pets.

If you can get your hands on some glass shrimp or red cherry shrimp they will also help your problem. They also make a good snack for a fast axie.