As mentioned in a previous article about mosquito control, a single adult plecostomus can eat a huge amount of string algae per 1,000 gallons of water, though this does depend on the species of pleco and how much other other food they’re being given. Q: Will they Eat Algae in Ponds? – Yes, readily.Īs a pond owner, a pleco can quickly become your best friend, particularly if you live in a temperate region where algae is more likely to thrive. Making use of an automatic feeder can be helpful in these situations to carefully monitor dosage and frequency.ġ) Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) Common plecos are bottom feeders that will graze heavily on algae. Plus, fewer supplemental feedings for your fish means that they are more likely to feed on any algae that is present. Any uneaten food will add nutrients to the water, further encouraging algal growth. Although no pond fish will likely be able to fully control a rapid algae bloom (more on this later), they’re a great natural method for reducing it’s growth alongside more traditional means.īefore we get to the best algae eaters, it should be noted that when feeding your fish, make sure that you are not feeding them any more than they can eat within a five minute span. Utilizing various pond fish, like the ones discussed below, is an environmentally friendly, simple way to ensure that algae populations are kept at a balanced, sustainable level. If allowed to grow out of control, however, algae can kill everything in your pond as it uses up all of the nutrients and dissolved oxygen content. In fact, when properly controlled, having some green algae (not the blue-green kind) in your garden pond is actually considered healthy and necessary for aquatic ecosystems as they will photosynthesize, produce oxygen, and provide a natural food source for many fish, insects and wildlife species. The presence of algae in your pond doesn’t have to be a bad thing. 1.9.1 Are Pond Fish Enough to Control All Algae? Although algae is not a primary food for many pond fish, most species will still consume small amounts when available.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |