Best GHA Eating Fish

[40g Nano]

My nitrate and phosphate measure 0, and I do weekly 10% wc

I had an algae scrubber in another tank, it grew tons of algae but there was still lots in the display too

 

[X-37B]

I have a convict and tomini tang and a foxface. None will touch hair algae.
I used a half dose of fluconazole then added around 50-60 astrea snails once all the algae was gome.
Have not seen hair algae since.
According to the good advice given in this thread fish are not an option and I agree.

 

[X-37B]

You disagree that I said that they work well? If you can get one not to waste away or disappear, they are awesome and hardy. Most die quickly and some people never see them again after they put them in their tanks.

He is only in high school so I get it. Been there done that, lol.
On a sea hare note I used one but they dont last long from many peoples experience.
Lfs put 10-15 very large black, wrong type imo, into their combined 2000 gal frag and display system that was overrun with hair algae.
After a few weeks no sea hares are to be found.
Corals in the display are dieing at a horrible rate. Same with attatched frag systems.
Beast guess is they are all dead and nuked the tank.
And all the, algae eating fish, in the system dont touch the hair algae.

 

[40g Nano]

So how many snails is a reasonable amount?

 

[X-37B]

So how many snails is a reasonable amount?

If your algae is short like your build thread astrea snails at 1 per every 2 gallons is a good start, imo.
More wont hurt.

 

[40g Nano]

Are Mexican Turbos any better?

 

[X-37B]

Are Mexican Turbos any better?

I use both but astreas have worked better for me.

 

[Kfactor]

Turbos are the best in my opinion my urchin is lazy lol

 

[mindme]

Are Mexican Turbos any better?

Turbo's are ok, they eat a lot, but I've never had much luck with them living for longer periods of time.

If you can get them, trochus are the best snails IMO. That is aside from stomatella, which I've only ever gotten as hitchhickers. Only downside to trochus is they can be a little expensive. Astrea I would put next in line, easier to get and a little cheaper than trochus.

 

[EvanDeVita]

You disagree that I said that they work well? If you can get one not to waste away or disappear, they are awesome and hardy. Most die quickly and some people never see them again after they put them in their tanks.

You’re right. Where I come from, death isn’t a problem. They have a 40 gallon filled with enormous sea hares, and I haven’t heard of any dying. I’ve rented the same one twice myself and I still see it in the tank when I stop by. And I’m not sure about people not seeing them in the tank. When sea hares die they secrete some kind of toxic substance that can wipe out a tank. If they passed away, you would know.
If, when you said people never see them again after they are put into tanks, you are trying to say they are always hiding in the back you are right. Hair algae grows faster in low flow areas that aren’t often maintained so sea hares do in fact tend to stay there (where food is of abundance)

 

[EvanDeVita]

Turbos are the best in my opinion my urchin is lazy lol

Haha same. My urchin just knocks stuff over. Trochus snails are great too.

 

[40g Nano]

After going to my lfs, both don’t have any snails or small urchins.
I got a lawnmower blenny in qt now, and possibly a small foxface this upcoming week.

 

[EvanDeVita]

After going to my lfs, both don’t have any snails or small urchins.
I got a lawnmower blenny in qt now, and possibly a small foxface this upcoming week.

Nice. Yellow tangs are pretty great algae eaters too, and they look fantastic. Be careful with algae Blennys, in my smaller sized aquarium they haven’t done well. Make sure you have big enough and enough caves/holes for him to live in or else he’ll never thrive

 

[Waboss]

Are Mexican Turbos any better?

I've had great luck with them. Added 4 to a 40G display that was overrun before. They mowed it all down in a little over a week. Was crazy!

 

[40g Nano]

I asked my nice lfs owner to try to get a small yellow tang or foxface

he thinks that the foxface would be more likely

 

[40g Nano]

Can a very small tang and foxface be together?

 

[EvanDeVita]

I've had great luck with them. Added 4 to a 40G display that was overrun before. They mowed it all down in a little over a week. Was crazy!

My turbo

Can a very small tang and foxface be together?

It all depends. Tangs are very territorial so it would be wise to add the tang after the Foxface. I do not know much about foxfaces, but I have not heard of aggression towards other species. It also depends on how small the tang is. If it is one of the tiny captive bred yellow tangs, then the foxface may react differently

 

[40g Nano]

Specifically a small sailfin tang

 

[EvanDeVita]

Specifically a small sailfin tang

Do you have an exact size of either fish or a picture?

 

[40g Nano]

I don’t know about the foxface but the tang would probably be smaller being around 1.5”