


Not providing more light than necessary to your tank will help minimize algae blooms and algae-eating fish and invertebrates can help keep low levels of algae under control. Even if your goldfish is not a fan of eating algae, there are multiple options for algae control in your tank. Final ThoughtsĪlgae can be a real pill to deal with, but your goldfish’s snacking habits may make this easier for you. Just remember that goldfish may eat any tankmate they can fit into their mouth. If you are interested in keeping more than just goldfish, many aquarium creatures can help control algae including snails, shrimp, and Plecostomus varieties. Be cautious with these cleaning items if you have an acrylic tank because they can scratch the tank surface. There are also tank-cleaning brushes and magnets available to help physically remove algae from surfaces. In more extreme algae blooms, algae-killing chemicals, like API Algaefix, may need to be added to the tank to get the bloom under control. In low to moderate lighting, algae may be easily controlled by routine tank maintenance and scavenging goldies. It’s even got a section dedicated to keeping your pet fish alive and well-fed when you go on vacation! How can I control algae? That's why our best-selling book, The Truth About Goldfish, covers exactly what you can and can’t give your goldies when it comes to mealtime. Many fish die as a result of improper food and/or portion sizes, which can be easily prevented by proper education. Algae has little to no nutritional value for goldfish, so it is not a replacement for meals and fresh foods to graze on. It can distract goldfish that enjoy scavenging for food, keeping them busy snacking on algae. If they choose to eat it, it may protect the other plants in the tank from being eaten or uprooted by the fish. However, algae, like most plants, does release oxygen into the tank and can help clear some toxins from the water, improving the health of your goldfish.Īlgae is neither good nor bad for your goldfish. It can also be difficult to control, especially once you have a full-blown algae bloom on your hands. It can cause unsightly green water and too much algae can be detrimental to the nutrients shared with other lifeforms in tanks. Algae can be unsightly and due to its ability to grow rapidly, it can take over tanks quickly. There can be complex answers to this question, but the most basic answer is yes and no. Green tank water is also an indication of the presence of algae. There are tons of types of algae, but the most common types seen in freshwater tanks are brown or green diatom algae, hair algae, and green spot algae. It is less complex than many plants, so it can survive in less favorable environments as well. Algae photosynthesizes light for energy, so it thrives in high-light environments like well-lit aquariums. It does not grow stems or roots and most varieties lack noticeable leaves as well. Credit: Lovbush, Shutterstock What is algae?Īlgae is a type of plant that is almost always aquatic. There are some varieties of algae, like black beard algae, that most fish, including goldfish, will not eat, making them harder to control. Is there any plant likely to do really well in this situation and keep the algae at bay (by consuming excess nutrients).Yes! Goldfish will eat many types of algae that grow in freshwater tanks and ponds. Tank is in a garage outside of direct sunlight. Remove algae from the aquarium viewing panes, and use a solution of white vinegar and water to clean living plants and tank decorations. Water quality is tested and readings are all fine: pH 7.8, ammonia and nitrite are 0, nitrate was around 20ppm last time I checked. A goldfish aquarium should be plenty large enough for your fish to remain in situ while you’re changing 30 of the water. The light sources are new so the light spectrum shouldn't be an issue. I had this same problem before doubling the light wattage. I used to have 20 watt lightbulb, but doubled to 40 watt to help the plants. I've tried to plant out this aquarium densely with all different sorts, but many of the plants die off. I feed them flakes once a day using just a pinch. This is nothing like the freshwater tank (same size) I had before, where I'd have up to 20 smaller fish (guppies, mollies, platys, rasbora) and really never having to deal with algae due to healthy plants. The aquarium gets dirty with algae covering the glass and all the plants very quickly after cleaning. I have a 20 gallon (70 liters) freshwater aquarium with two comets, which are now about 2 inches each.
