Hello: I have a small 1.5 gallon "tank" (vase) in which I currently have 5 - 6 shrimp and a bunch of snails. I started with more shrimp, but my first vase cracked and most of the water came out and I lost quite a few. In addition to the shrimp and snails, I have two plastic plants, some rocks and a few shells. The tank is lighted 12 hours a day.
There is now a lot of algae that has accumulated on the "leaves" of the plastic plants (a thin line outlining each leaf) and on the rocks. The sides of the tank are clear. I am wondering if I should 1) with a gloved hand remove the algae I can pull off the leaves and/or 2) purchase more shrimp to eat the accumulated algae. I recently tested the water for ammonia and it was fine.
My tank is about three years old. The shrimp have not reproduced while there are many snails.
Thank you.
Too much algae or too few shrimp???
Moderator: Mustafa
Re: Too much algae or too few shrimp???
Just to explore other options, how often do you feed? Reducing/eliminating feeding the tank until the algae is reduced may work. Another option is to reduce how many hours of light the tank gets.
Re: Too much algae or too few shrimp???
I think you may leave the algae in the tank as they are not harmful in any way. Photos will help us assess if there's too much; but from your description, It does not sound too much since your tank wall is not overrun with them. The snails should be sufficient to control algae production. Reduction of light is a good way; if your tank is already in indirect light, lighting may not be necessary at all. I feed once between 1 and 2 weeks as I do not have much visible algae in my tank. From the description of your tank, you may feed once every month or not at all till visible algae are all gone.
Re: Too much algae or too few shrimp???
Thanks for the responses! I feed every two to three weeks - - a small piece of a fish food flake. The tank is in my office and has no natural light. I will try cutting down on the amount of time my desk lamp is on.
Attached are a few photos. Looking back a prior posts, my tank is actually four years old. I am still thinking of purchasing more shrimp just for more activity. Only the snails have reproduced during the last four years . . .
Attached are a few photos. Looking back a prior posts, my tank is actually four years old. I am still thinking of purchasing more shrimp just for more activity. Only the snails have reproduced during the last four years . . .
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Re: Too much algae or too few shrimp???
Leave the light alone, don't cut down on it. Just stop feeding for a few months until the algae has decreased or is even gone. I can almost guarantee you that your shrimp will start breeding too. The fact that your snail population has exploded while your shrimp haven't been breeding usually means that you're feeding too much.
Re: Too much algae or too few shrimp???
Though if you only have 5 or 6 shrimp then I suppose it is possible (albeit unlikely) that they are all males or all females (or that you have perhaps one of the other sex and its infertile).