New Arrivals

I’ve been struggling to get the thread algae in the aquarium under control. When it first got bad I bought some otocinclus to help control it but I think the the smaller ones got scoffed by the big catfish and only two survived. They eat algae all day long but there’s a real bloom going so that’s not enough. I physically remove as much as I can but within a few days it’s as bad as ever. So after yesterday’s golf was cancelled (the course was covered in snow) I did some investigation and came up with a list of potential additions that are meant to eat thread algae then headed off to the aquarium shop. Any Siamese algae eaters? None in. Amano shrimp? Yep but too wee, they’d be catfish fodder. Ramshorn snails? Nope. Rubber-lipped Pleco? Afraid not. Otocinclus? Maybe next week. Swordtails? Yes!! I’ll take a male and three females please. You do know they’re live bearers and will produce lots of young? No problem, I have a catfish!

As soon as they were released into the tank they started munching on the algae. Success!