Cut out nori so tangs will eat GHA?

[artieg1]

I have 4 tangs between 2-4 inches long (PBT, purple, clown and orange shoulder). They love nori. They won't touch my Green Hair Algae. If I stop feeding nori, will they go after the GHA? Or will they just be irritated? They eat brown algae off sides and pick at the rocks all day, but not the GHA.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Some don’t like the gha. If it’s bryopsis then I don’t think any fish will eat it. They may refuse to eat the algae and just slowly wither away or it may make them want to fight because the nori is gone. Keep the nori

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Tangs are great at eating short/smaller green algaes. I have noticed none of mine touch long GHA. If I rip out most of it and just leave a little on the rocks they finish that off. Rabbitfish eat ALL algae at an alarming rate. I have two scribbled rabbitfish that eat more algae than 4-6 zebrasoma tangs. It is not even a close comparison. Also full tangs are lazy tangs, cut back on the feeding and you will notice more time being spent grazing, but this can also heighten aggression.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

If u manually remove most of the GHA the tangs will help keep it trimmed in my experience. They often don't like to eat it after it gets to a certain length.

 

[DharkaronReef]

I currently have 2 tangs in my main tank and never fed them nori so they have been eating my GHA off my glass, rocks and overflow. Really depends on the fish.

 

[dansreef]

It cannot hurt to cut back on the nori and the other food you feed. This may get them to forage more.... but it will also lower the nutrient input to your tank.... potentially lowering the levels that feeds the GHA! I have done it with my 3 tangs and 1 rabbit. They were a bit ticked at first..but they then started more natural foraging in my tank.

Good Luck.