Bubble Algea

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

I removed quite a bit of bubble algae from my tank today and there are several places where I can’t reach it, plus I knocked several of my frags off of the rock while doing it. So I realized I have to find something that will take care of it for me.
I have tried emerald crabs but they don’t last long in my tank, I’m guessing my wrasse is eating them. I’ve tried a foxface and he eats like a pig but doesn’t touch bubble algea.
Is there anything that I’m forgetting that will take care of it for me, or is there a way to encourage a foxface to eat it?

CoralB · May 11, 2022

If your foxface is fairly new , try cutting back feeding for a day or two . If you feed the other fish while staying in front of the tank or at one end of the tank the foxface will usually hide . When I got mine that’s exactly what I did . I felt bad after the second day as he hung out behind the rocks on one side but the whole time I wasn’t feeding him he cleared out the back section of bubble algae from behind the rock . Now I’ve been feeding normal and he eats but in between feeding he eats the bubble . Now I only see one or two here and there . Hope that helps , good luck !!!

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

CoralB said:
If your foxface is fairly new , try cutting back feeding for a day or two . If you feed the other fish while staying in front of the tank or at one end of the tank the foxface will usually hide . When I got mine that’s exactly what I did . I felt bad after the second day as he hung out behind the rocks on one side but the whole time I wasn’t feeding him he cleared out the back section of bubble algae from behind the rock . Now I’ve been feeding normal and he eats but in between feeding he eats the bubble . Now I only see one or two here and there . Hope that helps , good luck !!!

I’ve had him for around 6 months and he isn’t that shy anymore. I usually won’t put a fish in my display until after they no longer hide from me in qt.

CoralB · May 11, 2022

Gtinnel said:
I’ve had him for around 6 months and he isn’t that shy anymore. I usually won’t put a fish in my display until after they no longer hide from me in qt.

6 months he probably set in his ways but it wouldn’t hurt to cut back his feeding a little and try . Is he the only herbivore in the tank ??? When putting fish or inverts in a tank to take care of a issue I’ve always found it hit or miss . I think after buying like a dozen peppermint shrimp I finally found two or three that finally eat aptasia and have been aptasia free for the last few years . I don’t believe in going the chemical way even when last resort . Manual removal and fish or inverts . Good luck !!!

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

CoralB said:
6 months he probably set in his ways but it wouldn’t hurt to cut back his feeding a little and try . Is he the only herbivore in the tank ???

I’ve tried cutting back a little but not completely removing food.
He is not I also have a tomini and a purple tang, plus a lawnmower blenny.

Dav2996 · May 11, 2022

Emerald crabs spread it while eating it. I have seen it on frag plugs and whipe it off with paper towel and put it back in the water. It always went away after I did that. I never had an outbreak of it.

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

When I first added my purple tang I believe he was eating it because I had a few places where it vanished, but unfortunately that didn’t last very long.

CoralB · May 11, 2022

Wow!!! That’s a tough one , cause you feed them too good lol!!!

Looks like more manual !!!

CoralB · May 11, 2022

Can u replace some of the rock or is it on all rocks ?

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

CoralB said:
Can u replace some of the rock or is it on all rocks ?

No it’s on rock that is covered in coral and some of the rocks are fused together with encrusting corals. At this point in my tank removing rock is not something I’d even be willing to try.

CoralB · May 11, 2022

I’ve never tried it but what if you took out a bunch of bubble algae , smashed them with a putty knife , set them outside to dry for a few days until totally dry then introduced them as flake food . Maybe it might entice. Maybe mix it with other food . I think my fish would go after it and eat a little before they realized it wasn’t the normal food . Might be just enough to entice !!!

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

CoralB said:
I’ve never tried it but what if you took out a bunch of bubble algae , smashed them with a putty knife , set them outside to dry for a few days until totally dry then introduced them as flake food . Maybe it might entice. Maybe mix it with other food . I think my fish would go after it and eat a little before they realized it wasn’t the normal food . Might be just enough to entice !!!

Interesting idea, i never considered trying to dry it though. I’ve thought about trying to put a small bubble or two in the tank while feeding to see if I can get him to eat it that way.

Idk maybe I’ll try one more tang in my tank and work on getting them to eat it in qt where I can easily control the single fishes food intake. I guess I could also add the foxface back to qt and try to teach him to eat it in there.

Anemone_Fanatic · May 11, 2022

This is the only solution. lol.

You could try pitho crabs, many people have reported success with them.

Gtinnel · May 11, 2022

Anemone_Fanatic said:
This is the only solution. lol.

You could try pitho crabs, many people have reported success with them.

My guess is if my wrasse is eating emerald he would probably eat pitho crabs too. I may try a few the next time I order from reef cleaners

Anemone_Fanatic · May 11, 2022

Supposedly, blonde naso tangs eat it.

CoralB · May 11, 2022

Yah give him only bubble for a few days but not to the point of starving . If you put another tang in the show tank it will only eat the food that you feed the rest . Either way let me know how it works out as to whether you have success with anything . Bubble algae is a pain