Ranchu Head Growth by Richard Lim

[small_ranchu]

Here is an article by Richard Lim regarding Ranchu Head Growth

In all ranchu execises/developement whether in grooming, growing or training the ranchu to swim gracefully...The Basic Prelude to all these is "THE FISH MUST BE HEALTHY". There cannot be any over emphasis on the "The Fish Must Be Healthy" ...a healthy fish is so much easier to groom and grow.

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[Cincy Ranchu]

This whole green water crops up again, I rememeber Gert going on about phytoplankton. Can we get him to comment. Does powdered Spirulina work?

[bigbettadan]

I think wall algae is a better bet IMO

[Cincy Ranchu]

Whay is attched algae better than floating stuff? I am curious and I could us a new thread that is more complex!

[kendal]

Originally Posted by Cincy Ranchu

This whole green water crops up again, I rememeber Gert going on about phytoplankton. Can we get him to comment. Does powdered Spirulina work?

I have tried this.

the powdered instant green water is dead. the dried algae can be eaten with gill rakes like live planktonic algae, but most of it settles out and then decomposes and the water goes bad. so in a way it does the exact opposite of what live planktonic algae does and dirties the water rather than cleans it. it's like the difference between live daphnia and frozen. if eaten quick no problem the difference is in what is not eaten.

from a nutrition standpoint the powdered algae is better used for feeding/gut loading filter feeders like BBS and live daphnia then feeding them to the fish—empty bellied daphnia and larger BBS are relatively nutrition poor compared to those with a bellies full of algae.

i think green water is better than side algae for filtration because there is more surface area/filtration with planktonic algae. For nutrition i believe the same. i have never seen well-fed ranchu eat algae from the walls. i don't eat salads either if i have the option or am full of steak, but just because mine don't does not mean others won't. planktonic algae is swallowed and eaten via the gill rakes no matter what— i don't think the fish can avoid it.

all green algaes are good. i just think the free floating has more effect, but i could be wrong.

[Cincy Ranchu]

I wonder if Goldrush can give us some help in this area?