# how can I kill the hair algae in my shrimp tank



## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

does anyoneknows how to remove hair algae ib the shrimp tank? i have 5.5 gallon tank with crs in it. i dose flourish excel and excel once a week and its all the same nothing happens. i have taiwan moss and riccia with some hair algae.


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## TJM (Dec 23, 2009)

Amano shrimp or Siamese Algae Eaters (Crossocheilus siamensis).


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

i have already 24 crs. but they dont eat the hair algae


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## duckyser (Oct 4, 2009)

SAE will do the job, but i dunno if they can live with your shrimp


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

sae is too big for my 5.5 galon tank. is there any alternatives??


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## Twiggles (Jun 6, 2010)

TJM said you could you use amano shrimp ...


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

camboy012406 said:


> sae is too big for my 5.5 galon tank. is there any alternatives??


I'm curious what if you took on a very young say juvie SAE and kept it for a while like a month or two then rehome or store credit it at the LFS? That way the problem of the algae wuold be remedied on the short term and the SAE is not a long term issue which I can understand a 5.5gal is too small for a SAE long term.


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## fishclubgirl (Mar 4, 2010)

Have you thought of Nair or electrolysis?? All kidding aside, I think you should look at what's causing the black hair algae. I have one tank that had it and I moved the light up. Still have a bit but nothing like what I had before. I've heard of people using peroxide but I try to use as little chemicals in my tank as possible. Just a suggestion!!


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

okey ill try the juve sae.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

I already moved up my light like 12 inches from thetop of the tank. Ihave 13 watt cfl bulb running to 9 hours


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

camboy012406 said:


> okey ill try the juve sae.


It was more of a question of curiosity and I was not issuing you that as advice as I've never owned a SAE before but curious if it would work. I think it would work short term if the juvie SAE is small enough but most of the time I find people that comment about no this and that can't work are thinking more if you owned the animal long term. I can understand if you want to keep the SAE for the long term you'll need a larger tank but for short term I think it may work out. Just make sure you check around for real world info if the juvies will pick or eat the shrimp. Perhaps if the juvie is young enough it wont be interested in the shrimp and just pick away nom noming on the algae.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Cam,

BTW have you considered the 1:20 or 2:10 part bleach to water plant dips/soaks then putting the plants in a clean water container to remove the bleach then dose the container with 3-4 times dechlorinator before removing the plants to put it back into the CRS tank.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

yup, i did the 2:20 thing. i soaked it for 5 minutes it works for my other tank, all algae turn to brown and died next day. my prob is that my 5.gal tank plants have already rooted into the substrate and its hard to remove


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

camboy012406 said:


> yup, i did the 2:20 thing. i soaked it for 5 minutes it works for my other tank, all algae turn to brown and died next day. my prob is that my 5.gal tank plants have already rooted into the substrate and its hard to remove


Hmm..

You may want to get a clear container like from Can.T in the shoebox area. you might want to take your shrimp out and put in a bin and try treating with hydrogen peroxide with yuor filters and air stone off.

Those bins are ~$1.00-$5.00 pending size. IIRC a ~2-3gal bin is ~2 bucks and cheaper then a aquarium. Swing by the plumbing area and and get some short PVC tubig and maky your own small sponge filter on the side while you wait for yuor tank treatment. Take the sponge out of the tank filter and shove it up the end of the tube and drop an air stone.

I only know with hydrogen peroxide that it will work with BBA. I think it may work with hair algae but no loss trying as it is ~$1.50 a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and I remember members before mentioning it is safe in the tank and it evoprates out later. Get a seryinge (sp) from the pharmasist (sp?). It will cost you ~50cents for the tube and about 50cents for the needle. You may be questioned why you need it before selling.

Fill with the hydrogen peroxide and squeeze the hydrogen peroxide on the plants with the algae and wait about 30mins for the cloud to do it's job.

I'm sure others will chime in on the hydrogen peroxide proceedure. I've only done this for BBA befor only and asusme it would work with other algaes.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

I know there's a way to tell true SAE's from false ones...might not be a bad idea to post it here...?


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## J-Ye (Mar 15, 2009)

I had good results with zebra snails (got them at BA @ scarb). They were like SAE but without the aggression. I don't know how they will do in a shrimp tank though. If you decide to give them a try, make sure you cover your tank real nice. Both of mine died on their little exploration adventures.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

J-Ye said:


> I had good results with zebra snails (got them at BA @ scarb). They were like SAE but without the aggression. I don't know how they will do in a shrimp tank though. If you decide to give them a try, make sure you cover your tank real nice. Both of mine died on their little exploration adventures.


Zebra nerite snails you mean? How much do they cost a piece at BA's?


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## bumbleboo (Jun 6, 2010)

AquaNeko said:


> Zebra nerite snails you mean? How much do they cost a piece at BA's?


I think they're like $3.99... that's how much mine was when I got it anyway... if my memory is correct!


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## J-Ye (Mar 15, 2009)

AquaNeko said:


> Zebra nerite snails you mean? How much do they cost a piece at BA's?


Yes I meant Zebra Nerite Snails.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Just for the record, green hair algae is a perfect shrimp food.
I'm specially growing algae (it have string algae usually) in a box, then I put it into a tank with shrimps


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> Just for the record, green hair algae is a perfect shrimp food.
> I'm specially growing algae (it have string algae usually) in a box, then I put it into a tank with shrimps


I don't think so, coz I have never seen one of my crs touching the hair algae.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

camboy012406 said:


> I don't think so, coz I have never seen one of my crs touching the hair algae.


We are talking about nice green algae, that looks like a 2-10 mm hair, right.
They eat it, for sure. Your shrimps might just have a lot of other better food 

Anyway, SAE is a perfect way to get rid of that hair algae. I have a good experience with them. 
True SAE has a black line along all body, it lasts to the very end of its tail fin.
Get several ones, they live and eat  better in groups.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> We are talking about nice green algae, that looks like a 2-10 mm hair, right.
> They eat it, for sure. Your shrimps might just have a lot of other better food
> 
> yeah green algae, ill show you the pic if they show again, about the shrimps food, I usually fed them once a week with 5 small fish pellets and After that just let them eat anything inside the tank


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

camboy012406 said:


> yeah green algae, ill show you the pic if they show again, about the shrimps food, I usually fed them once a week with 5 small fish pellets and After that just let them eat anything inside the tank


My yellow shrimps clear tank sides for me  They are finishing any kind of food in hours and then grazing of plants. Something I put leaves and blades covered with algae in their tank. Shrimps find and eat algae right now and leaves on the next day.

Crystal shrimps are more picky, my crystal hide a lot and not grazing all the time. It might just have not a perfect conditions for them.


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## Ebi-Ken (Jul 9, 2010)

There is an easy and safe way to get rid of any hair or the dreaded bearded algae. Get your hands on Metricide-14 and mix it with water in a sprayer (DO NOT ADD THE ACTIVATOR) and then drain your water spray everything down with the metricide and water mix. Then fill your water right back up. Next day or almost instantly it will turn red and then white then die off. Safe for shrimps/plants/and fish.


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## marbss (Feb 11, 2010)

13watts / 5.5 = 2.36watts per gallon. that is pretty high wattage per gallon. 
questions I have for you:
1. do you have plants that need this kind light? taiwan moss and riccia -- not sure of the light requirements
2. what might be the causes of the algae? The main concern is that you might get rid of the algae now but it may come back --- what are you feeding your shrimp? 
3. is the tank getting direct sunlight? 


My suggestions:
1. Maybe try and down the wattage if your plants don't need the high light -- I'm pretty sure there is 6-7 watt CFL
2. perhaps cut your light down to 8hrs... or drop the wattage to 7watts and leave it on for 9hrs
3. do you have an air pump / airstone? try adding some air bubbles to get the oxygen moving around. 


by the way your tanks look great! (were you at Frank's on the weekend? did we talk about ADA soil?)


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

marbss said:


> 13watts / 5.5 = 2.36watts per gallon. that is pretty high wattage per gallon.


It's a lot of light. I assume that you tank is shallow. It's 10", right. There a lot of light goes to the bottom.

In fact, I have the same tank and the same light. I was out of home for a week and this light was working for 12h per day.
In a week I've found algae allover the tank, it was on plants, tank sizes, even on a gravel. And it was clean a week before 

I've moved some plants into a shrimp tank for clearing and this 5 gallon tank tank has a blackout now


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> It's a lot of light. I assume that you tank is shallow. It's 10", right. There a lot of light goes to the bottom.
> 
> In fact, I have the same tank and the same light. I was out of home for a week and this light was working for 12h per day.
> In a week I've found algae allover the tank, it was on plants, tank sizes, even on a gravel. And it was clean a week before
> ...


I reduced the lights by 8 hours, so algae is not a problem for now. ntw igor what kind of lights do you have in your 20 gallon??


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

camboy012406 said:


> I reduced the lights by 8 hours, so algae is not a problem for now. ntw igor what kind of lights do you have in your 20 gallon??


Yes, 8 hours is good. I've also put three ottos in that small tank.

I have 15W florescent tube over 20 gallon sulawesi tank 
But I don't have a glass cover under it and this noticeable increase light.

For now I also have 23W table lamp placed near the tank side.
And these two lights are working 14 hours/day. I'm trying to grow some algae for my beloved shrimps


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

where did you bought that saluweisei shrimp??


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

camboy012406 said:


> where did you bought that saluweisei shrimp??


I got them from a Frank from Vancouver. Look here.


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