# Is it spirogyra and how to get rid of



## tiger15 (13 Sep 2019)

I pulled this out every couple weeks from my Cherry shrimp jar that is non CO2, non liquid carbon, but receives strong window sunlight in the afternoon..  It’s long, silky and comes in entangled chunk.  It’s bright green and can be attractive if it is only lightly infested as the shrimplets love to hang out.  But it clogs up the jar every couple weeks and becomes a nuisance.  Is it spirogyra and what’s the best way to get rid of other than physical removal.


----------



## Edvet (13 Sep 2019)

Looks like it.
I managed to make a dent in it by adding H2O2 ( i used 1 cc/ 3 lit tank), it looked like it made it palatable for cleaners more.
In the end i added a fauna snail wich cleaned the tank beautifully.


----------



## tiger15 (14 Sep 2019)

Edvet said:


> Looks like it.
> I managed to make a dent in it by adding H2O2 ( i used 1 cc/ 3 lit tank), it looked like it made it palatable for cleaners more.
> In the end i added a fauna snail wich cleaned the tank beautifully.


What’s a fauna snail?  I have both  ramshorn and nerite snail, and they don’t do anything.


----------



## Edvet (14 Sep 2019)

Black devil snail: Faunus  ater
(sorry my bad faunus not fauna)


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (15 Sep 2019)

tiger15 said:


> I pulled this out every couple weeks from my Cherry shrimp jar that is non CO2, non liquid carbon, but receives strong window sunlight in the afternoon..  It’s long, silky and comes in entangled chunk.  It’s bright green and can be attractive if it is only lightly infested as the shrimplets love to hang out.  But it clogs up the jar every couple weeks and becomes a nuisance.  Is it spirogyra and what’s the best way to get rid of other than physical removal.



The issue is the strong afternoon sunlight - so move the shrimp jar so it not in direct sunlight if you cannot physical move it put something between the window and the jar to stop the sunlight getting ot the jar .

Cheers
Paul.


----------



## tiger15 (16 Sep 2019)

Dolly Sprint 16v said:


> The issue is the strong afternoon sunlight - so move the shrimp jar so it not in direct sunlight if you cannot physical move it put something between the window and the jar to stop the sunlight getting ot the jar .
> 
> Cheers
> Paul.


My front window is the best location for the shrimp bowls with no better alternatives from display perspective.

I have two nearly identical shrimp bowls set up side by side for over a year.  One has spirogyra, the other has none, and neither has any other algae. Both have fast growing floating frogbit, lush but slow growing dwarf hair grass in one, and dwarf Sag in the other.  N and P levels are barely detectable for N and P in both.  The only difference is the inhabitants.  The spirogyra bowl has a breeding colony of cherry shrimp,  the spirogyra free bowl has two Amano shrimp, and both have ramshorn, nirite and pond snails.   Feeding schedule is identical, three 1 mm fish pellets a day.

My first suspicion is the inhabitants. I have 2 Amano in one, but a large colony of Cherry in the other.  Don't cherry and amano eat the same type of algae?

My second suspicion is the feeding schedule.  I had no spirogyra problem before I changed from feeding once a week to daily, same quantity.  The reason I increased feeding is that my cherry did not multiply in lean feeding.  Is it because the well fed Cherry get lazy and stop eating algae, but why is it not happening with the Amano?


----------



## Edvet (16 Sep 2019)

Mouthsize might influence diet, as may hunger.


----------



## zozo (16 Sep 2019)

Lovely little bowls.. 

I have that alga all over the place in 2 indoor aquariums also having CHerry 1 outdoor aquarium and in 2 large outdoor tubs.. Plantmass doesn't realy make a difference also light is not the main factor it can grow extremely shaded. But 1 tub, the only one containing gold fish and full sun for biggest part off the day, it seems this algae doesn't get a chance to grow and eaten in very early stage. Maybe not eaten intirely but it doesn't grow much further than aufwugs i guess. 

You can do H202 treatment which is very effective and turns it definitively into Cherry shrimp food. But wait and it'l be back. Few months for sure if its not eaten.

Amano's have it on their diet and black molly and platy also doesn't shy away from it. The rest of the poecilias i dunno but i guess they all snack it.


----------



## Iain Sutherland (16 Sep 2019)

Cherry shrimp generally dont eat algae, they are bio film grazers which is why large, or small, shrimp populations need good supplimental feeding.  I wouldn't advise daily feeding though, 3 times a week is generally plenty.

Why not clear the bowl and then add an amano to see if it solves the issue.



Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


----------



## Dolly Sprint 16v (16 Sep 2019)

Arh now we have a better picture of whats going wrong - the key thing to getting a correct diagnosis of algae issue is giving all relevant information ie tank position, lighting, fertz, planting regime and contents of aquariums.


----------



## tiger15 (16 Sep 2019)

zozo said:


> Lovely little bowls..
> You can do H202 treatment which is very effective and turns it definitively into Cherry shrimp food. But wait and it'l be back. Few months for sure if its not eaten.
> 
> Amano's have it on their diet and black molly and platy also doesn't shy away from it. The rest of the poecilias i dunno but i guess they all snack it.


What dosage of H2O2 do you administer that won’t kill the shrimp.  I also heard API Algaefix will work, but I’m afraid it will kill my shrimp.  So I prefer non herbicide H2O2 which I have already used to spot treat algae during WC in  my high tech tanks.

Platy and Molly are out of question as the bowl is only one gal, too small for any fish.



Iain Sutherland said:


> Cherry shrimp generally dont eat algae, they are bio film grazers which is why large, or small, shrimp populations need good supplimental feeding.  I wouldn't advise daily feeding though, 3 times a week is generally plenty.
> 
> Why not clear the bowl and then add an amano to see if it solves the issue.
> k



I’ll reduce feeding to perhaps once a week, and see how it goes.  But they may stop multiplying, but winter is at the corner and they will slow down anyway.

I was considering introducing one Amano to the cherry bowl but am afraid the Amano will prey on the cherry.  Once in,  I wont be able to retrieve the Amano and thereby the mistake in the jungle of plants.  If the  cherry are in a larger container, I have no concern as one Amano can’t make a dent in the prolific cherry population.


----------



## zozo (17 Sep 2019)

Only did it once in a tank with no fish but it had cherries and it all went ok. The algae turns pale and grey and melts away.

https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_algae_hydrogen-peroxide-treatment

But as said. few months later is was back again.


----------



## tiger15 (18 Sep 2019)

zozo said:


> Only did it once in a tank with no fish but it had cherries and it all went ok. The algae turns pale and grey and melts away.
> 
> https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_algae_hydrogen-peroxide-treatment
> 
> But as said. few months later is was back again.


Thanks for the info.  Returning a few months later is a big improvement, as currently I have to physically remove the spirogyra every couple weeks.

Just wonder if you remember the dosage you used that was safe for your shrimp.  The link recommends a wide range from 8 to 35 ml 3% H2O2 per 50 liter.  

It also says that it can be combined with EasyCarbo, which is Glut.  Just wonder if Glut will work as good as or better than H2O2.

Even though I have dosed Glut and dry sprayed H2O2 in my big planted fish tanks many times, I am nervous to try the first time to dose my tiny shrimp bowl.


----------



## zozo (18 Sep 2019)

I did it only once a few years ago in a neglected tank.. Don't actualy remember the dosage. Was a small tank and it wasn't much.

Search for the "one two punch" i believe planted tank.net forum has an extensive tutorial on from a few years back. That was the first time i red about the combination with glut.

Personaly i'm a nerd that looks and fidlles daily on my tanks. It's kinda therapy for my chaotic mind to rest.. I rather do it manual and neglaction is something not common in my husbandry schedule.  I guess i trained an eye for detail and recognize early small algae patches by color and pull it out. Works equaly effective..

Edit: Here it is
https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/23-algae/203684-one-two-punch-whole-tank-algae-treatment.html


----------



## tam (18 Sep 2019)

I get it all wrapped around the roots of my floating plants... I keep meaning to do a test dunk in some easy carbo to see if I can remove n treat and return. I get bits around the rest of the tank but not so bad. It seems more opportunistic than other algae - I'm sure I've physically transferred it from tank to tank rather than just having it appear when conditions are off like most algae.


----------

