Sooner or later, all aquariums will fall prey to some form of fish tank algae. No matter how often you clean or how well you maintain your tank, the truth is that they will always find a way to get in and thrive. At best, these algae are a mere nuisance, marring the aesthetic value of your aquarium. However, more severe infestations could result in the destruction of the delicate ecosystem in the tank and the loss of all your fish. This is why it is important to understand how and why it grows in our aquariums, and the best way to manage or eliminate the problem completely.
There are many different types of fish tank algae growth, with the varieties depending on what type of habitat the aquarium is. Most healthy fish tank aquariums will have only a slight infestation of algae, while other less maintained aquariums will suffer from full blown growths on every surface. The truth is it’s impossible for your tank to ever be completely rid of it. This is because they live off the very same things that you provide your pet fish and aquatic plants, such as lighting and food. The best way to control growth is to limit your aquarium’s exposure to direct sun light keeping it to a bare minimum, and to not over feed your fish. Frequent water changes will also deprive algae of the excess food and minerals that it needs to thrive. Keeping aquatic plants in your tank will also help, because they will compete with the algae for the same resources, helping limit their growth.
There are some algaecides available on the market, usually in some liquid or tablet form. While they may rid you of algae in the short term, they could end up doing more damage to your aquarium. This is because all the algae that get killed by the algaecide will end up floating in the water decaying and releasing ammonia, phosphates, and other harmful chemicals. This sudden change could adversely affect the long term habitability of your aquarium’s water, eventually forcing you to start over with fresh water. If you only have a slight problem on a glass wall surface then an algae eating fish from the shark family can take care of that problem.
algae eating shark
The best way to manage fish tank algae growth is through thorough and regular aquarium maintenance.
Awesome, a website that has ALL FreshWater fish put together.
The freshwater rainbowfish are most often found in the pet trade, whereas the saltwater rainbows are not so much kept in aquaria as they grow quite large, but are often seen out on reefs during dives.