# Growing algae for blue gobies



## Jack B (14 Apr 2021)

Hi everyone

I'm preparing to introduce some blue gobies to my tank and want to make sure they get enough biofilm / algae to eat. 






I've got a lot of shrimp right now so this could be a challenge!  Mort's experience suggests the gobies may get by on other types of food, but I'd like to be ready in case mine turn out to be less adaptable.

The plan is to grow lots of palatable algae (ie non BBA) on rocks in a separate tank / container outside of the main tank so that I can add them to the main tank as needed. How can I do this most efficiently? I'm minded to use these glass containers I got as a freebie, put them in the window with some tank water and see what happens...but perhaps there are more optimum conditions?





Has anyone got advice/thoughts on the best setup? I'm keen to get this right before I take the plunge.


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## MirandaB (14 Apr 2021)

I use cat litter trays outside,fill with tank water add a few leaves and a hefty shot of fertilizer and the rocks will soon green up now the weather is getting warmer.


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## Jack B (15 Apr 2021)

MirandaB said:


> I use cat litter trays outside,fill with tank water add a few leaves and a hefty shot of fertilizer and the rocks will soon green up now the weather is getting warmer.


Thanks - that does sound convenient. Will grab a few handfuls of leaves during the next trip out of London and reuse some old classroom trays I've got knocking about!


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## Sarpijk (15 Apr 2021)

Hi! I have a 100 litre tank with around 15 various hillstream loaches. After a while green algae grew naturally on all the rocks. I never did anything special to grow the algae. I also keep shrimp and they all get along fine. 

I am suggesting that in case you already have river stones in the tank they will soon be covered in green algae. 

One last thing, the fish do not eat the algae itself but the tiny microorganisms living inside. Check my tank here








						My Cryptocoryne dominated 100 lt  riverscape .
					

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## Jack B (16 Apr 2021)

Sarpijk said:


> Hi! I have a 100 litre tank with around 15 various hillstream loaches. After a while green algae grew naturally on all the rocks. I never did anything special to grow the algae. I also keep shrimp and they all get along fine.
> 
> I am suggesting that in case you already have river stones in the tank they will soon be covered in green algae.
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot - that is an impressive tank! Love the deep green algae. Does it grow on the plants too, or just the rocks? If I up the lights I get BBA on plants which looks a bit ugly. Re shrimp I'm just wondering how long they'll take to strip the algae from any rock I introduce - they seem to clear up anything that's not BBA


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## Sarpijk (16 Apr 2021)

Glad you like it. Νο the algae stays on the rock and some on the glass.

I have shrimp and countless snails and they all keep grazing side by side with the loaches.


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## Tom Michael (16 Apr 2021)

Interested to see how you get on as I have just purchased 8. Like you I have some stones in a tray in my garden and I will also try algae wafers and perhaps get my hands on reprashi Solent green.

its tempting to crank up the lighting to grow more algae in tank, but as you note this may just lead to BBA unless your CO2 is high. Personally I would rather keep mine on the lower/medium side as I’m not sure how this species can cope with high levels.


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## Jack B (17 Apr 2021)

Tom Michael said:


> Interested to see how you get on as I have just purchased 8. Like you I have some stones in a tray in my garden and I will also try algae wafers and perhaps get my hands on reprashi Solent green.
> 
> its tempting to crank up the lighting to grow more algae in tank, but as you note this may just lead to BBA unless your CO2 is high. Personally I would rather keep mine on the lower/medium side as I’m not sure how this species can cope with high levels.


Yes let's compare notes as we go. I'm going to add oak leaves too - biofilm grows on them apparently.

Eight is a good number. Will be interested to hear how the males sort out their territories


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## tam (17 Apr 2021)

You could try lighting 24/7 in one of the tanks and see if that sped up growth. Sunlight is pretty good for it though so, particularly over summer, outdoors or a sunny window sill might do best.


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## Tom Michael (17 Apr 2021)

Jack B said:


> Yes let's compare notes as we go. I'm going to add oak leaves too - biofilm grows on them apparently.
> 
> Eight is a good number. Will be interested to hear how the males sort out their territories


Didn’t know that about the oak leave so thanks for the info!

yeah I’m really interested to see how they get on - I have quite a few rocks in my tank so I’m hoping they will find thei own territories ( I have a spare 120 L to move some if 8 is too many in the 240l main tank.

my main worry is that I’m getting the mail order so not sure the state they will arrive in. I tried this a year ago with a different seller - three gobies ordered one arrived deal one on its last legs and the third was a completely different fish! Fingers crossed this time!


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## Tom Michael (17 Apr 2021)

tam said:


> You could try lighting 24/7 in one of the tanks and see if that sped up growth. Sunlight is pretty good for it though so, particularly over summer, outdoors or a sunny window sill might do best.


Coincidentally I’m growing some veg from seeds and the ones on the window sill don’t really get enough light, soon as I moved into the garden in a sunny spot they grew much better- so my algae harvest is outside!


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## tam (17 Apr 2021)

Tom Michael said:


> Coincidentally I’m growing some veg from seeds and the ones on the window sill don’t really get enough light, soon as I moved into the garden in a sunny spot they grew much better- so my algae harvest is outside!


Temperature would be a factor too - so outside for light but perhaps under glass/plastic for warmth at the moment. Good luck with the veggies too!


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## Tom Michael (18 Apr 2021)

tam said:


> Temperature would be a factor too - so outside for light but perhaps under glass/plastic for warmth at the moment. Good luck with the veggies too!


Good point I shall try and lid it!


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## Tom Michael (28 Apr 2021)

Sorry to hijack you thread but I thought I would update on my Gobies.

I had a great shipment 8 all alive and well. They are such unusual and interesting fish! 

so, feeding wise it seems as if the eat everything! I tried algae wafers, Solent green and the wafers is their favourite. They also munch on the algae in the tank so I don’t think I will need to harvest any extra. How has your experience been?


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## Jack B (17 Aug 2021)

Tom Michael said:


> Sorry to hijack you thread but I thought I would update on my Gobies.
> 
> I had a great shipment 8 all alive and well. They are such unusual and interesting fish!
> 
> so, feeding wise it seems as if the eat everything! I tried algae wafers, Solent green and the wafers is their favourite. They also munch on the algae in the tank so I don’t think I will need to harvest any extra. How has your experience been?


How did I miss this?? That's such encouraging news. I got swamped by work and a pest snail invasion, but finally collected five gobies this afternoon. They're in quarantine to be dewormed just in case. So active and characterful 

I've added a few algae-covered rocks...but will try algae wafers tmw, along with some grindel worms I've had on the go.


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## Jack B (18 Aug 2021)




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