mbuna cleaned up my tank

[GTR73]

A few weeks ago I moved out a colony of peacocks from a 3ft (~100L) and introduced some juvenile Africans with the aim of creating a new breeding colony from 12 Elec Yellows (3-4cm ea), and to grow out 6 Psuedotropeus Acei (5-6cm). The 3ft, being exposed to afternoon sunlight, was covered in green algae - the glass, the rocks, everything.

After 3 weeks the algae has almost been entirely eliminated so now the tank is spotless.

My question: which of these mbuna would be more responsible for feasting on the algae, the Yellows or the Acei? Or is it just a simple case of the combined efforts of both breeds?

This tank was absolutely covered in thick algae and I knew they’d clean up a bit of it, but not strip the tank bare! I find it interesting they had such a profound effect on the tank.

I run a Sachem Marathon 1000 L/hr external and feed HBH Veggie flake twice a day. I do a ¼ water change once a week and add a handful of rock salt with each change.

Cheers for any responses.

[anchar]

I feed algae to my acei tanks (from out of the pond), so I have no doubt that they are responsible for the clean up.

Andrea

[Colfish]

mbuna eat far more algae/ vege matter than most ppl realise

[youngy_11]

I never would of thought that they would eat the whole lot. I have see some of my mbuna pick some algea of the driftwood every now and again but haven't seen them cleaning the whole tank.

I think i need some of ya fish to teach mine what to do..lol

thanks ryan

[anchar]

It also depends on the type of algae..they don't touch everything.

Andrea

[GTR73]

I did read somewhere P.Acei eat algae off tree roots in Lake Malawi and are the only known mbuna thus far discovered that do this. However I don't have any driftwood in the tank, just rocks and PVC pipes. Come to think of it, they even picked clean the PVC!