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Kaitlyn asked in PetsFish · 7 years ago

What type of algae is in my tank? how to stop it?

I just got a new Betta in my tank with 5 neons and a bamboo algae shrimp. With the Betta a got a free sample of Repashy Shrimp Souffle to try. I've put small amounts of that in for I think 3 days now(Put a new piece in when the old was gone) Since then I've noticed small stringy things on the front glass of my tank. they look lie flowers kind of or brooms because they have one string then a few that flow out. I'm going to get an algae scrapper and do a water change but is there a way to stop algae from growing? I'm not sure I want to get a small algae eater yet(my tank is 13 gallons) and I don't want algae taking over.

1 Answer

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  • Dan M
    Lv 7
    7 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Your description sounds almost like Hydra or Bryozoans rather than algae. I use Bausman's tonic when there are Hydra. It should affect Bryozoans too, but it is so rare to get those in an aquarium, that I would not want to kill them. They are delicate and will vanish too soon anyway even if you try to keep them.

    The tank is a bit tight for what inhabitants you have. A larger tank will take less care per gallon. The more water, the more stable it is, and the longer things take to go wrong.

    For your size tank put 10mL of 3% hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore into an equal amount of water. Use an eye dropper to aim it at the algae spots, until you have used up the solution you made. You can repeat it daily until the algae begins to turn white. Then once a week should be often enough. The hydrogen peroxide has no byproducts except oxygen and water which are both harmless to the fish and any live plants. This will not only remove algae but also the tiny microbes the bamboo shrimp eats. The shrimp will need its own tank, and this one is too small for comfort with what you have now.

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