green hair algae    11/12/13
I recently added some Val to my 125g planted tank that had a bit of green hair algae at the tips.
<Common, especially in the wild... to some degree we want Vallisneria to grow into a plant unlike that which it would do naturally, a bit like the way a garden lawn isn't really what grass normally does.>
I figured my Dempsey would trim it like he tends to do (he always nips the tips off like a lawn mower) which he did. However the green hair spread to a large drift wood pike in my tank which has my two Anubias plants on it.
Both of which are now displaying a healthy bit on their leaves.
<I see. Could you trust Nerite snails in there? They're very good with this sort of algae.>
I have a separate tank of Tropheus duboisi. I was considering transferring this piece and the Anubias there to let them clean it for me being the lovely algae grazers that they are (their tank is fairly new and lacking in growth).
<Quite so. Since Anubias grows attached to bogwood or rocks, yes, you can move it from one tank to another.>
They tend to leave java moss alone so I was hoping that would hold to the Anubias and wanted to see if this was a viable plan in the more knowledgeable than me eyes of the wet web media folks.
<Worth a shot. I'd see what happens. Worst case the Anubias loses/damages a few leaves; snap them off to the rhizome, and new ones will grow back quickly enough.>
Thanks in advance
<Welcome, Neale.>
Re: green hair algae    11/12/13
had to many issues with snails of various sort in my tanks (apple,ramshorn,pest) so I try to avoid them now.
<Nerites can't breed in freshwater aquaria, so they don't cause pest snail problems. They do lay eggs on stuff, and the egg cases are kind of annoying, but otherwise they're wonderful animals, and by far the best algae-eaters in the hobby.>
Will see how the Tropheus do thanks again.
<Most welcome. Neale.>