Algae eater

Steve Maxwell · May 13, 2016

Hello...I'm getting tired of all the algae in my tank and want something that will help keep it in check. I have algae that quickly grows on the glass and some stuff that looks like black hair algae in some of the rocks.

I have a 75g with various snail types, 2 photon clowns, 2 kauderns, 1 male McCosker, 1 pink urchin, 1 watchman goby and 1 tile starfish. I've had 2 kole tangs and for some reason neither lasted 1 week. What can I get to help?

I also have a 29g that has not had an algae problem...could be the coral beauty, but I'm leary of adding one or a flame angel to the 75 due to all the zoas, soft and LPS coral I have. The one in my 29 hasn't messed with anything, but just my luck one in the 75 would.

Zero Nitrates · May 13, 2016

Tang or lawnmower blenny

Tateopotatoe · May 13, 2016

Maybe a blenny would wake. You really have to scrape the algae off the glass yourself.

jetmaker · May 13, 2016

Get a Molly Miller blenny it will get algae and aptasia. I have a Potter's angel that hasn't touched any Coral.

Steve Maxwell · May 13, 2016

I really want a potters...

Triggreef · May 13, 2016

Dwarf angels do next to nothing for algae ime. Tangs, algae blenny, or tang. Acanthurus tangs are best IMO I have a yellow and kole in my frag tank they do nothing and are close to getting the boot.

MikeyAl · May 13, 2016

Dolabela sea hare.

rayn · May 13, 2016

Scribbled rabbit fish and a long spine urchin They took care of any algae in my tank and are keeping it down I am amazed at how quick the rabbit worked

Vaughn17 · May 13, 2016

A money (or ring) cowrie will clean hair algae and other types (not bryopsis, though, sadly) right down to the rock. It is a very small (1.5" max), herbivorous cowrie that doesn't bother coral. Other cowries are omnivores, though, so beware of them.

jetmaker · May 14, 2016

My Potter's eats all algae and cleaned up my aptasia and doesn't touch my corals.

Salty1962 · May 14, 2016

Zero Nitrates said:
Tang or lawnmower blenny

+1, I have a Flame, or Tomini, Tang and a Lawnmower Blenny and they keep the algae in check. These with good husbandry practices should go a long way in help.

eatbreakfast · May 14, 2016

Algae blenny, foxfaces rabbitfish for fish. Seahares are the single best algae eater around, but will quickly deplete the algae and will starve if algae isn't supplemented.

Steve Maxwell · May 14, 2016

I'd get a sehare, but paranoid about poisoning my tank. I've gotten a long spine urchin today and a turbo snale and I'm keeping a lookout in my LFS for a lawnmower (everybody was out). Still considering a Potter's even if they don't do much with algae...I've always liked them. Thanks everybody!

wesamazmy · May 17, 2016

Best algae eater

Tautog · May 17, 2016

My Rabbitfish eats most algae, better than the tangs

Salty1962 · May 17, 2016

wesamazmy said:
Best algae eater

Mine is @4". He and the Flame Tang are fighting over algae

My wife calls him the monster

One of the key things to keep in mind, as they eat the algae you must have good filtration to remove the by products

You won't believe what I'm pulling from my protein skimmer! Algae is gone though

Steve Maxwell · May 17, 2016

Blennys won't each Bryopsis, though will they? That's what I'm fighting now

Thinking about treating with TechM and a one spot foxface

wesamazmy · Dec 24, 2016

Salty1962 said:
Mine is @4". He and the Flame Tang are fighting over algae My wife calls him the monster One of the key things to keep in mind, as they eat the algae you must have good filtration to remove the by products You won't believe what I'm pulling from my protein skimmer! Algae is gone though

Yes me too