Sick Gourami...

**KevinVA** · 12-26-2012, 01:21 AM

Nerite snails will eat up your algae pretty quick. Just be sure to have enough to cover the tank and amount of algae. How much is a "huge" algae problem?

**Carapar56** · 12-26-2012, 01:28 AM

Almost the entire top layer of gravel is covered with algae. You can still see the individual pebbles but each pebble has the ugly green algae on it. The bottom 2 inches of glass near the gravel are covered with algae. And I have to wipe off almost 6 inches of algae off the back of the tank every week. And nerites? Alright. Anything I should look out for with them?? Any links you can provide?

**KevinVA** · 12-26-2012, 01:33 AM

Hrm, what you're describing sounds like it could be BG Algae (cyanobacteria), which isn't an algae at all. Is it a smooth algae, which coats the surface of pretty much everything? And when you take it off, does it come off fairly easily? If possible, can you take a picture?

Nerite snails are fairly hardy snails and are known for their algae eating abilities. You can find more info about them here: http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Bug,...,%20Nerite.htm

**Carapar56** · 12-26-2012, 01:38 AM

No no its not BG algae. Its that standard green algae that is almost IMPOSSIBLE to get off. I can't get pictures as my only camera is broken.. All I can say is it is the sold greenish algae that you see growing in fish store tanks. Its the common algae.. Its not stringy or slimy or easy to get off. Its the tough, flat, green algae that people have problems with due to over lighting or some other thing. I KNOW it is not BG. And thanks for the tips on Nerites.

I know copper is bad for snails, any other element I should look out for???

**KevinVA** · 12-27-2012, 02:52 AM

You should be good. Nerites are arguably pretty easy to take care of. They're impervious to salt treatments, since they can live in brackish water and they feed on algae almost exclusively. At least I've never seen them eat anything else - not even veggies. Could be mine just fill up on algae, though.

**Carapar56** · 12-27-2012, 03:16 AM

Alright c: Thanks. I'm going out tomorrow to get my API master test kit. Was going to go today but we're currently being hit by a storm almost as powerful as Sandy.

**KevinVA** · 12-27-2012, 03:32 AM

Good luck up there. Hope it's not too bad. I was just in South Jersey over the holiday. Seems like we were hit by a storm in VA (though, probably small), while I was... wind tore through here and tossed some of my patio chairs around and threw my flag pole across the yard and into my neighbors. =/

**Carapar56** · 12-27-2012, 04:04 AM

Yeah its really bad here atm. Raining all day and the wind is really bad. Hopefully it settles down considering I'll be ordering my nerites online.

**Honey Badger 1** · 12-27-2012, 04:48 AM

Do you have live plants in the tank? If not you could cut back on the amount of time the lights are on and that will help with the algae problem.

**Carapar56** · 12-27-2012, 05:05 AM

Nope no live plants. I have been cutting back on the amount of time the lights are on but that hasn't really done much. I don't mind buying snails. I actually want them.