s your saltwater aquarium plagued by algae? Aggressive algae growth may be due to excess detritus or polluted substrate. Fortunately, you can easily remedy these common problems by including certain marine invertebrates in your aquarium.
BENEFICIAL MARINE INVERTEBRATES
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I've got a saltwater aquarium and it still seems like I spend more time cleaning then enjoying its beauty. What can I do? |
A. Saltwater invertebrates, such as
snails,
crabs, and
shrimp, are known as the ocean's cleanup crew for a reason. They can consume mass amounts of detritus, algae, and excess food. Adding some to your aquarium |
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may work wonders. Plus, each is fascinating to observe. |
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The two basic types of beneficial
marine invertebrates to consider are herbivorous invertebrates that feed on algae and scavengers that comb aquarium substrate for organic waste. Both types of invertebrates are excellent, safe alternatives to the harsh
chemicals and
aggressive cleaning often employed to address nuisance algae.
ALGAE ATTACK
Algae are unsightly in any home aquarium. If left unchecked, the smallest algae strand can quickly overtake even the largest of aquariums. Keep algae in check by adding
snails and
crabs to your aquarium. However, keep in mind that no one species of algae eater can control all the different types of algae present in your aquarium. In other words, employ a variety of algae eaters for the most efficient and comprehensive algae control. Introduce
algae-eating snails for film algae,
hermit crabs for hair algae removal, and
Emerald Mithrax Crabs to keep bubble algae under control.
DETRITUS DEMOLISHERS
Organic detritus, including food and fish waste, settles to the substrate in even the best-filtered marine aquariums. These wastes contribute to high phosphate, ammonia, and nitrite levels, which not only encourage aggressive algae growth but can also stress or kill sensitive aquarium inhabitants. By adding scavenging invertebrates, such as
sea stars and
sea cucumbers, you build an exotic army of waste removers and sand aerators.
THE LIVEAQUARIA.COM ADVANTAGE
For your convenience, our expert staff has developed two lines of saltwater "cleaner packages." Both the
Algae Attack Pack and Detritus Attack Pack contain multiple species of beneficial fauna to biologically process algae or organic waste materials. They effectively and efficiently clean your aquarium to reduce aggressive algae outbreak. Best of all, packs are available in a variety of carefully calculated sizes to offer the maximum cleaning power for your specific aquarium. But remember, these cleanup packages are not for aquariums with large predatory fish. In aquariums with aggressive fish, these invertebrates may end up as tasty snacks rather than a cleanup crew.
FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES
Many beneficial and ornamental invertebrates are also available for freshwater aquariums. These freshwater invertebrates eat excess fish food, decaying organics, and more. They also add a sense of the exotic to any aquarium. Check out LiveAquaria.com for a wide variety of
freshwater snails, shrimp, clams, lobsters, and more.
