Growing Fish food

Ok, I know that sounds really weird, but here is the thought that popped into my head the other day. When we moved, I had a lot of extra water bottles since we didn't bring all of our rats with us. Now that I'm starting up small colonies again, I'm taking out these water bottles one by one to wash, sanitize and use. The other day I went to get a water bottle that was sitting out and find it full of greenish water. It had been sitting partially in the sun that comes through the window and it was full of algae.

Now I know that plecos eat algae, yes? My husband has always wanted a pleco and I was thinking that when we moved into our own house, we could get one. Would it be possible to set a few of these water bottles up near a sunny window and grow algae in them for the fish? I won't be needing these water bottles soon as they are not the kind I will be using when I have my tubs and racks. (hang from a wire instead of attach to the side of a cage). It was just a really weird thought and I want to hear some people's opinions on this.

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Ok, I know that sounds really weird, but here is the thought that popped into my head the other day. When we moved, I had a lot of extra water bottles since we didn't bring all of our rats with us. Now that I'm starting up small colonies again, I'm taking out these water bottles one by one to wash, sanitize and use. The other day I went to get a water bottle that was sitting out and find it full of greenish water. It had been sitting partially in the sun that comes through the window and it was full of algae.

Now I know that plecos eat algae, yes? My husband has always wanted a pleco and I was thinking that when we moved into our own house, we could get one. Would it be possible to set a few of these water bottles up near a sunny window and grow algae in them for the fish? I won't be needing these water bottles soon as they are not the kind I will be using when I have my tubs and racks. (hang from a wire instead of attach to the side of a cage). It was just a really weird thought and I want to hear some people's opinions on this.

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I am not sure if the plastic bottles would have an effect on the algea or not.You do know there are several types of algea right? Some the plecos will eat some they wont.If you want a 100% answer to your question join www.aquabid.com, they have a forum also.If you scroll all the way down the page you will see forum ;).If you need any help let me know.

For a moment there, I thought this would be an easy one for me. Then you asked about growing algae. The only way I successfully grow algae is on the front of my fishtanks :-( I haven't tried to collect it or anything lol. I know that usually, algae grows because of the lights, left over fish food and a higher amount of carbon dioxide in aquarium water though.
On a positive note....if you ever need help trying to figure out micro worm or brine shrimp I have a bit of experience there. I would probably even send you a culture starter if you needed it.

Actually, I have always wondered about how to grow my own brine shrimp. I know you can get those little kits and just hatch eggs, but is there ever a way to grow brine shrimp and have your own "breeding" system going? Where you produce your own eggs? When I had bettas I fed frozen chunks of brine shrimp (the kind you get at Petsmart) and thawed blood worms.

There are a few ways people have done it. I bought a kit for $8. The kit work great, but toss the eggs unless they were produced by hikari. Otherwise you end up with snails.

As far as breeding brine shrimp and growing them out, I haven't done that. It just isn't really practical unless you are breeding a ton of fish. There is however a ton of reading material online. Hatching them out is pretty fuss free though.

i grow algea as part of my job here. its easy to do. just grow some and see if they will eat it. if not, they sell algea wafers.

i would add an air stone. you'll need to refresh the water every now and then. the algea will suck out all the nutrients. left over tank water from water changes would work well for this.

Could the algae wafers be used as a kind of "starter culture" or is the algae in those dead?

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Could the algae wafers be used as a kind of "starter culture" or is the algae in those dead?

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no. to make the waffer, they are dried and then pressed into waffer form.

ive never tried it for plecos but most of the larger more common plecos dont really eat much algae once they get around 5 inches or so.
i do grow it in my one tank i just have otos and cherry shrimp in there.
and yes there is a few different types of algae and every fish will not eat every type
heres a pretty cheap place to get fish food http://kensfish.com/