Looking for Flagfish

[kidslikefish]

Got a small hair algae problem in a tank. Want to address it while it's still a small problem. Does anyone know if there are any flagfish available locally ? Anyone seen any at a LFS lately ?

[Mzungu]

I haven't. But I wanted to let you know that Rosy Barbs will also eat hair algae. Just in case you can't find Flagfish.

[kwc1974]

Here is another fish to try, much better than flag fish

Ameca Splendens.

I would buy these long before I considered flag fish. Much better at eating algae and will not eat shrimp like flag fish will.

Fish gallery will get them in sometimes. Ask Don. I know they have a pair in one of the plant tanks.

To get to the root of the problem though, hair algae usually indicates that you have an excess of iron in your water. Greater than .15ppm. If this is from your water supply, then not much you can do. If you are adding a fert that is adding iron, ct back and do a 10% water change every day. Remove the hair algae by hand or with fish and you should start to see that it does not come back.

[kidslikefish]

I'll look for the barbs and check with Fish Gallery on the Splendens. Water parameters are okay. I have 5 planted tanks, and only one of them has hair algae. I do consistent water changes on all of them from the same source. I have been removing it by hand when it gets long enough to grab hold of. It probably piggy-backed in on some new plants I added recently.

[TaTeR ToT]

i have a large pair of long finned rosy barbs in my 75g planted tank, they eat the HA really well indeed.
i got the hair algae when i used the Kent Pro Plant Iron & Magnesium suppliment, i had to cut back by 30% of the reccomended dose, do to the production of hair algae.