[Goldiebunny]

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and also to fish keeping.

I have a new tank which has been set up for just over two weeks. We have six harlequins at the moment but no other fish as yet as the tank is so new. The plants have brown spots all over them and an almost cobweb look on some of the smaller ones. I am not sure what this is but am hoping it is something I can sort relatively easily.

The fish all seem really happy and the water quality is absolutely spot on so I know it's not because the water is wrong.

Can anyone please help? I would really appreciate your opinions.

Many thanks and I am really looking forward to being a part of this community.

 

[Goldiebunny]

I forgot to say that the tank is 94 litres and is 75cm x 45cm. The substrate is dark brown fine gravel /coarse sand. Not sure how to add pictures from an iPad so can't do that at the moment unless anyone can tell me how to do it.

 

[Boredomb]

Do you have an account at a imagine hosting site like Photobucket? If so you can up loaded pics to there and will able to post the direct link with your Ipad.

What types of lights do you have?? Do you use fertilizer?? How long are the lights on? Does the tank get sunlight from a window??
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[Byron]

Welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum.:-D

As Boredomb said, we need more data as many factots are involved. Another thing we need to know is your GH (general hardness) of the source water (tap water presumably). You can find this out from the municipal water supply, they likely have a website with water data.

Byron.

 

[Goldiebunny]

Hi Boredomb,

No account to add photos but will look into it. Not sure on lights I'm afraid. It says on the website for the shop we bought Fon that hey are 36w fluorescent lights though. They are on a timer for twelve hours from two in the afternoon to two in the morning. No sunlight shining straight on the tank during the day though.
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[Boredomb]

Can you take the bulbs out? If so see if they have any writting on them.
A timer is a very good tool to use and it can cone in handy. What about using fertilizer??
By chance do you know the names of the plants?? Without anymore info to go on I or others can't really suggest a plan of action here.

 

[JDM]

Ipad is easy for pics.

Scroll down to manage attachments, click.

Clickchoose file and it will give you two options, "take picture" or "choose existing".

Take picture and click "upload" or choose from your existing folders.

It will only let to upload one picture per post though, not sure why.

Jeff.

 

[Goldiebunny]

Ipad is easy for pics.

Scroll down to manage attachments, click.

Clickchoose file and it will give you two options, "take picture" or "choose existing".

Take picture and click "upload" or choose from your existing folders.

It will only let to upload one picture per post though, not sure why.

Jeff.

Thank you everyone for your help. I went to my local aquatic shop over the weekend who gave some good advice. I have used fertiliser and some fertiliser balls for nutrients. Also got a clean up army of shrimps and some other sucky type fish (can't remember the name!) Also changed the timer so lights are only on for eight hours instead of twelve.

All looking much better two days on. Fingers crossed!
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[MoneyMitch]

cleaning crews and plecos are hardly a way to dela with algae, if its a real algae problem no amount of cleaning crew can keep up with it.

 

[Goldiebunny]

cleaning crews and plecos are hardly a way to dela with algae, if its a real algae problem no amount of cleaning crew can keep up with it.

MoneyMitch the shop saw photos of the issue and I have taken out the growing blanket weed type algae which they told me to do. Also the brown spots on the plants are hardly there now that I have done an attack of the clean up crew and the fertiliser and nutrient balls to boost plant growth. It is not just the cleaning crew that are dealing with it. So far so good. Fingers crossed.
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[MoneyMitch]

you would of been fine with the manual removal and whatever other changes you did without the addition of a cleaning crew. now you are stuck with plecos that will need a bigger tank and whatever else they pawned off on you.

 

[Goldiebunny]

you would of been fine with the manual removal and whatever other changes you did without the addition of a cleaning crew. now you are stuck with plecos that will need a bigger tank and whatever else they pawned off on you.

We were going to get shrimp anyway so this wasn't an issue. The shop advised against plecs as they would eat the plants rather than clean / eat the algae. I can't remember the name of the sucky fish they recommended but they are only about two inches long (maybe not even that) and are grey with one black stripe running the length of its body.

Thanks for your help though. At least I know it is being sorted as the tank when I got home yesterday was looking amazing with only a few brown bits on the plants and even a shrimp skin laying on the bottom of the tank so that is good news that the shrimps are growing well
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[Byron]

We were going to get shrimp anyway so this wasn't an issue. The shop advised against plecs as they would eat the plants rather than clean / eat the algae. I can't remember the name of the sucky fish they recommended but they are only about two inches long (maybe not even that) and are grey with one black stripe running the length of its body.

Thanks for your help though. At least I know it is being sorted as the tank when I got home yesterday was looking amazing with only a few brown bits on the plants and even a shrimp skin laying on the bottom of the tank so that is good news that the shrimps are growing well
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Something we all have to learn, is to fully research any fish before we acquire it. Sadly, stores are not always fully knowledgeable--or some just don't care. What starts out as a "small" fish can get to be a real problem.

From your description, you may have been sold Oto Catfish, which are harmless; or it might have been one of the Chinese Algae Eater or Siamese Algae Eater, both of which get large and certainly have problems. Click the names for the profile with info and photos.

We have a profile section with info on most all fish you are likely to commonly see in stores. Please research first, it can save you a lot of grief later.

Byron.

 

[JDM]

"the sucky fish" Love the description.

Can you post a picture of it? If they are oto's and they are young they will be smaller than that as that is about their fully grown size... although ours didn't get even that big.

Jeff.

 

[Goldiebunny]

Something we all have to learn, is to fully research any fish before we acquire it. Sadly, stores are not always fully knowledgeable--or some just don't care. What starts out as a "small" fish can get to be a real problem.

From your description, you may have been sold Oto Catfish, which are harmless; or it might have been one of the Chinese Algae Eater or Siamese Algae Eater, both of which get large and certainly have problems. Click the names for the profile with info and photos.

We have a profile section with info on most all fish you are likely to commonly see in stores. Please research first, it can save you a lot of grief later.

Byron.

Hi Byron and Jeff, I have looked and they are oto catfish. They are just over an inch long. They love algae though! Our plants tonight are very green!!

The shop I go to are extremely knowledgeable and are very well known and respected in my area. They are called Maidenhead Aquatics and I have much faith in them as they don't just sell fish to anyone without checking properly that they will go into the right tank etc.

I like the otos though, they are quite cute as far as cute goes for fish! I can also spend hours watching the shrimps scavenging through the gravel!!!! Much pleasure.

Thanks for your help.
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