Gastromyzon ocellatus

[Jim Powers]

Here is one of my favorite specimens of this species. He's not the largest one I have but he has the nicest tail color.

[Finnatic]

Hi Jim,
Beautiful fish!
Noticed quite a bit of algae on the plants - have the same problem with one of my tanks (Cardinals, Rummy Nose, Rosy Loach, Sids, Otocintus) Any idea how to get rid of them. - the real black stuff that seems to kill the leaves? My 5 x Otocintus don't seem to do anything to them

[Jim Powers]

That black algae came in on some plants a couple of years ago and became a problem in a couple of my tanks, this one being the worst. I have vastly reduced it, however, by spot treating with Flourish Excel and using phosphate absorbing pads in the filter. I put the Excel in a syringe and gently squirt it on the clumps of algae. In a few days the algae turns purple or gray and dies. If the stuff attaches itself to a stone in the tank, I remove the stone and place it in a bath of hydrogen peroxide for about half an hour. I then rinse the stone off and return it to the tank.
Frequent water changes also help. As I said the stuff is vastly reduced in the tank now. I just need to remove a few leaves, like the one in the background of this pic that still have a bit on it. There is no totally getting rid of this stuff. It becomes a matter of controlling it.

[Graeme Robson]

Superb looking chap, Jim!

[Finnatic]

Thanks for the tips - will try it out as soon I get round tuit