# Ghost Shrimps in Mbunas Tank



## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

For the past month I bought 3 Golden Algae Eater. They all died. I think my cichlids bite them. I am planning on adding some Ghost Shrimps. Are they to small for a cichlid tank? Are they good algae eaters?

I don't like plecos. Have any other suggestions for algae eaters?


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## kenko (Jan 19, 2012)

Why don't you like plecos? There are so many varieties. You do know that mbuna are natural grazers too, right? What kind of algae are you trying to control?

Never tried it, but I could imagine the ghost shrimp being a great snack for the fish.

You could do snails like the nerite.


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## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

I just think plecos are ugly and they grow to big.

If I was to consider a pleco, are their any that won't grow to big.

How about catfish? I heard their algae eaters too.

What is natural grazers?

How about mystery snails?


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

natural grazers = cichlids eat the algae too.


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## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

I've never seen them do that.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The cichlids are going to eat the shrimp.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Mbuna will kill just about anything you put in with them, including any shrimp, large snails, and most plecos. Sometimes bristlenose plecos will survive, and they're not only excellent algea removers, they don't get large. Albino variants are available.

The only catfish people commonly keep are certain varieties of synodontis, and I don't believe they eat algae.

Mbuna will graze on algae if it has a little length and they're hungry, but they don't completely remove it.


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## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

Nothing else?

I think snails won't work.

I just don't like plecos.


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## Corrupted (Jan 31, 2012)

jeff12 said:


> Nothing else?
> 
> I think snails won't work.
> 
> I just don't like plecos.


We get it...most plecos won't work anyway, so that's fine. As was mentioned, synodontis is really the only other option besides more mbuna that you are going to be able to get away with putting in the tank...assuming you want whatever you put in to survive.


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## ILCichlid (Feb 27, 2012)

Snails and shrimp will be dead pretty quickly


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Plants are great to control algae.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> The cichlids are going to eat the shrimp.


DJ... Am I correct in that cichlids graze on the algae too? Im almost positive Iread that somewhere but dont want to pass that info along if its incorrect.


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## mike1234 (Feb 16, 2010)

A lot of cichlids will pluck algae from rocks. It sucks that you don't like plecos because catfish do not eat algae for the most part. I keep two plecos, a bushynose pleco and a clown pleco which have worked for over a year each. Neither look like a normal pleco.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Mbuna graze on algae, but you will be left with polka dots all over your glass if you rely on them. Clean where they bite, and algae remains in between the bite marks. The BN pleco does a more even vacuum job.


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## nachotroll (Apr 14, 2011)

I have 3 large mystery snails for two weeks and my 4 fish have never touched them(cobalt, bumblebee, OB peacock, Yellow tail acei)


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## Corrupted (Jan 31, 2012)

let us know when they are dead.


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## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

Plecos won't be able to clean the plants because their to big.

They will also eat the plants.


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## Corrupted (Jan 31, 2012)

depends on the pleco...and the plant.


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## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

What kind of small plecos are there?


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## Corrupted (Jan 31, 2012)

jeff12 said:


> What kind of small plecos are there?


well, the ones usually kept with Africans are bristlenose.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If you get the balance right, the plants will consume all the nutrients and there won't be any left to grow algae.


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## BullyBuddies (Jan 4, 2012)

I recall seeing a houseplant with just the roots in the tank. Would this work DJ? Maybe lucky "bamboo" in an HOB to consume nutrients?


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## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

I also do not like plecos, or algee eaters for the most part. I did have a pair of Chinese Algee Eaters at one time, but they were too small when I added them and they didn't make it. For now, the only other fish I have in my tank that are non-cichlid are a pair of Yoyo Loaches (which will occassionally nip at the algee, but not too often) and a Synodontis Pleurops, which I absolutely love. He will get to about 9 inches, but in a 125g tank, I look forward to it. I think they look great, and I like their sharp barb on their Dorsel...but again, he doesn't eat a whole lot of algee, but does nip at it. My tank is across the room from any windows, and the only algee I get is on my rock, which I actually like. I may add another Pleurop to my tank, but I haven't decided yet. If your algee isn't out of control, I would look into any kind of Synodontis.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Let us know how the snails are doing in a year. :thumb:


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I've considered "lucky bamboo" to consume nitrates, but I don't think it would get enough light where I could put it.


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## Sidius (Mar 3, 2012)

What about something like a PhosBan reactor with RowaPhos to get rid of any phosphates and then increase the water changes to keep the nitrates down? I mention this because I have an issue with phosphates in my water so I added that and within 24 hrs the phosphates we're almost completely gone.


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## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

I don't think I want to do snails because I dont want to see my cichlids ripping their heads off :fish:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have zero phosphates naturally and even when nitrates in the tank are high, phosphates are still zero. But still have algae.

Keeping nitrates low will work.


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## mcbdz (Jul 5, 2011)

Love the algea in my tank. The cichlids graze all day and looks natural. Looks bad at first but once established looks natural. I clean the frint and side glass. Let all the rest grow.
the last 2 pics show the algea.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... highlight=


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