Best algae eater for a 5g tank

[Robert Binz]

So my tank is ~4 weeks in. It’s currently in the ugly stage. The typical cyano retreated a few weeks ago but not it’s got some slimes and GHA.

I’ve been told GHA signals the end of the initial cycle and it’s time to start removing the algae manually. Thus, I’d like an algae eater to clear out the GHA and maybe the slimy types if possible.

Currently I have a blue damsel who refuses to eat algae lol. I also have one trochus, one cerith, and one nassarius. I honestly don’t know what these dudes are eating because there’s no change in the algae

I’m considering a crab like an emerald crab so I’d like opinions on that. But any other efficient cleaner would be useful.

NOTE: I do not over-feed. Damsel gets ~6 bites of mysis 3-4 times per week and corals get reef roid paste target fed before water changes. Water changes are once per week.

 

[Nigel35]

Do you have a clean up crew? A cleaner shrimp, snails and hermit crabs will help.

 

[Robert Binz]

Yeah my CUC are the Trochus, Cerith, and Nassarius. I've shied away from hermits because people tell me in a small tank it's best to avoid the warfare between hermits and snails. Also I definitely don't feed enough for a cleaner shrimp.... although a pack of sexy shrimp might be dope

 

[Fink]

I have astraea snails in my small tank, they are great at eating algae

 

[Nigel35]

Another great sail is the turbo because it eats the algae right down to the roots so it can't grow back. Although I've heard that it can move around the rock work.

 

[Tathamet]

I have two tiny nerites that are monsters on my gha. They made my hairy rocks look completely polished after going over them.

I also have one astrea, 1 margarita, 4 ceriths and 4 dwarf blue leg hermits that clean very well in my 9 gallon tank.

 

[Tathamet]

One thing I’ve noticed is they all seem to have their own area to hang around.

so depending on where the algae is I found the nerites to forage mainly on the rocks but they go everywhere happily as well. The margarita and astrea mainly forage on the glass and occasionally go on the rocks. The hermits are mainly rock and sand. And the ceriths are mainly in the sand but go into the rocks occasionally/up the glass and fall down lol.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

So my tank is ~4 weeks in. It’s currently in the ugly stage. The typical cyano retreated a few weeks ago but not it’s got some slimes and GHA.

I’ve been told GHA signals the end of the initial cycle and it’s time to start removing the algae manually. Thus, I’d like an algae eater to clear out the GHA and maybe the slimy types if possible.

Currently I have a blue damsel who refuses to eat algae lol. I also have one trochus, one cerith, and one nassarius. I honestly don’t know what these dudes are eating because there’s no change in the algae

I’m considering a crab like an emerald crab so I’d like opinions on that. But any other efficient cleaner would be useful.

NOTE: I do not over-feed. Damsel gets ~6 bites of mysis 3-4 times per week and corals get reef roid paste target fed before water changes. Water changes are once per week.

1 Tuxedo urchin
5 Astra Snails
1 Emerald crab
Shut off all pumps, get a fork to roll the GHA from the substrate and collect into a pile, submerse a cup or net and place it in there before removing it out of the tank, then do a water change, do this every water change, I did and saw an amazing results.

 

[Robert Binz]

1 Tuxedo urchin
5 Astra Snails
1 Emerald crab
Shut off all pumps, get a fork to roll the GHA from the substrate and collect into a pile, submerse a cup or net and place it in there before removing it out of the tank, then do a water change, do this every water change, I did and saw an amazing results.

Thank you!