Best algae eater for a 30 gallon SPS frag tank?

Seancj · Nov 3, 2023

Looking for a good algae eater for my 30 gallon, 24"x24"x13" SPS frag tank. Something that will live happily in a 30 gallon that will help clean the algae off the plugs.
I'll be adding a Springeri damsel for bug control, a small wrasse for flatworm control. That's it, other than a small fish for algae control.
Thanks in advance for the recommendations!

sfin52 · Nov 3, 2023

An urchin and mollies are good for algea control.

Seancj · Nov 3, 2023

I thought about an urchin, but my SPS frags are small and on plugs sitting in an egg crate tray. I foresee an urchin knocking them over and/or carrying them off.

Thinking a tail spot blenny and a few hermit crabs and trochus.

Seancj · Nov 5, 2023

Any other suggestions?

Nburg's Reef · Nov 5, 2023

Mollies, snails hermits and try for some small urchins? Jester gobies are said to eat hair algae but I do not have personal experience.

Kasrift · Nov 5, 2023

Seancj said:
Any other suggestions?

Tailspot might be good, I have one in my 10g. I have a starry blenny in my 32 and he stopped eating algae and is a fatty eating pellets and mysis with occasional pecking at the glass.

I'd do a molly miller blenny since they eat aiptasia and then get a paired set of either hector or rainford goby who although small do eat algae. I have a rainford in my 10g as well and love it.

Knight420 · Nov 5, 2023

Nburg said:
Mollies, snails hermits and try for some small urchins? Jester gobies are said to eat hair algae but I do not have personal experience.

I have a Court Jester Goby and he loves to pick at the rocks. No hair algae that I've seen. A lawnmower blenny is another good fish.

PizzaIan339 · Nov 5, 2023

Seancj said:
Looking for a good algae eater for my 30 gallon, 24"x24"x13" SPS frag tank. Something that will live happily in a 30 gallon that will help clean the algae off the plugs.
I'll be adding a Springeri damsel for bug control, a small wrasse for flatworm control. That's it, other than a small fish for algae control.
Thanks in advance for the recommendations!

Normal CUC and maybe a court Jester goby (rainfords Goby)

Mr_Knightley · Nov 5, 2023

The best small algae eater I know of is the starry blenny. Very similar to the lawnmower, exception being that they will actually eat prepared foods when you run out of algae. Nothing cleans flat surfaces quite like one.