Green Algae versus Ghost Shrimp

[Marina Hyde]

How do I get rid of a green algae that is taking over my tank without killing off all my ghost shrimp? All algae-gone products say not to use with inverts. It's a 20 gallon with a tetra whisper internal filter (rated for 40 gallons) that has 2 neons, 2 endlers, an oto, and ~8+ Ghost shrimp.

[mnemenoi]

Hmmm, I would start with a solid water change schedule. 50% weekly. Buy a timer for your lights and set a photoperiod (8-12 hours). A good 3-4 day blackout will help also, everything will be fine for a few days with only ambient light. Watch for overfeeding / possible excess or high nitrate readings. Add an additional filtration system to move/filter the excess green algae from the water column. I would avoid any aglaecide as they usually contain high levels of copper and will kill inverts and poison all the other fish. It does not kill them, but they do suffer from its effects and can cause long term health issues in your specimens.