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Do Panaque maccus eat brush algae?
Posted: 31 Oct 2007, 23:17
by Haavard Stoere
I´m setting up a 720 liter discus/tetra/pleco comunity tank with a whole lot of driftwood. It will be a sort of romantic riverbank theme. Therefore I am wondering: Can I use Panaque maccus or any other wood chewing pleco to limit the amount of brush algae growing on the wood?
Posted: 31 Oct 2007, 23:20
by MatsP
Not that I can see. On the other hand, I doubt that the brush algae would have time to settle before the P. maccus manage to gnaw off the surface of the wood, unless the brush algae is WELL established beforehand.
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Mats
Posted: 01 Nov 2007, 00:32
by Haavard Stoere
I was thinking something like that. It might be worth a try.
Posted: 02 Nov 2007, 05:10
by bslindgren
It seems like very few fish eat BBA or BHA. I have been told that the true Siamese algae eaters do, so I have bought a bunch. They're still in quarantine, but once they go into the tank with the offending algae, I'll know for sure.
Posted: 02 Nov 2007, 17:30
by apistomaster
Adult SAE's tend to drive large discus nuts with their incessant activity. I've tried them and did not like them as discus tank mates. They don't directly harm the discus.
Posted: 02 Nov 2007, 17:47
by Haavard Stoere
SAE are to hectic for this kind of tank. When it comes to brush algae they are extremely effective though. I will try to set up the lighting so that it falls a little outside of the bogwood area to at least limit brush algae growth.
Posted: 03 Nov 2007, 07:38
by Shane
I agree with Mats, they certainly will not eat brush algae, but it will never become established on the driftwood due to their constant gnawing.
-Shane
Posted: 03 Nov 2007, 13:00
by Haavard Stoere
That sounds very sensible.
Thank you all
Posted: 04 Nov 2007, 11:26
by featherback
I don't know about P.maccus, but I have two panaque tanks with P. nigrolineatus type fish, L190, L191, L27, L330 and L203. And they certainly do eat brush algae. There's no sign of brush algae except in deep depressions in the wood where they can't get to it. They will also clean the glass and rocks for brush algae. But they won't clean the rocks if they're not very smooth.
I added a 20 cm L330 to a tank with a 100 cm x 40cm x 80 cm piece of wood copletely covered with brush algae , and in 2 nights the wood was cleared of algae. It also took the trouble to go over several hundred overgrown anubias leaves to eat the algae, of course ruining the plants.
Just my 2 cents.
edit: typos
FB