Do Acclimated Black Mollies Eat Cyano?

[Admann]

I read a post that was a few years old somewhere that mentioned Black Mollies would graze cyano. Has anyone else heard this, is it a fable or do you have firsthand knowledge? Man, that would make you a millionaire.

 

[Hermie]

they do IME, when cyano film develops on my glass, the little molly I have will nip at it and takes a good portion of it away.

 

[Admann]

they do IME, when cyano film develops on my glass, the little molly I have will nip at it and takes a good portion of it away.

Thanks, this would seem like something beneficial to a reef, if they don't get beat up.

 

[Hermie]

Thanks, this would seem like something beneficial to a reef, if they don't get beat up.

I had one get stuck in the rocks and die because the powerhead was pointed at the rock, so I would just be careful about that... too much flow and they struggle.

 

[Jesterrace]

I read a post that was a few years old somewhere that mentioned Black Mollies would graze cyano. Has anyone else heard this, is it a fable or do you have firsthand knowledge? Man, that would make you a millionaire.

Definitely not, they are hit and miss for eating regular algae. Honestly the best thing I have found for cyano in term of a live critter is a hermit crab since they eat the excess food, poop, etc. that can fuel cyano growth. Tried an experiment recently where I added 30 hermits to my 90 gallon with an understocked clean up crew. Was starting to get a bunch of Cyano on the back of my rocks. I changed literally nothing else and the next day it was virtually gone.

 

[Admann]

Makes sense because it's simple

Definitely not, they are hit and miss for eating regular algae. Honestly the best thing I have found for cyano in term of a live critter is a hermit crab since they eat the excess food, poop, etc. that can fuel cyano growth. Tried an experiment recently where I added 30 hermits to my 90 gallon with an understocked clean up crew. Was starting to get a bunch of Cyano on the back of my rocks. I changed literally nothing else and the next day it was virtually gone.

Makes sense because it's simple, I always worried too much about the hermits eating the snails. I've seen those little assassins at work.

 

[Jesterrace]

Makes sense because it's simple


Makes sense because it's simple, I always worried too much about the hermits eating the snails. I've seen those little assassins at work.

They definitely do. It's a matter of what you are willing to deal with. I accept that my snails are going to disappear between my hermits and my invert munching Melanurus Wrasse.

 

[Admann]

I suppose

They definitely do. It's a matter of what you are willing to deal with. I accept that my snails are going to disappear between my hermits and my invert munching Melanurus Wrasse.

It would seem then that the flow factor would be the biggest problem

 

[Admann]

Definitely not, they are hit and miss for eating regular algae. Honestly the best thing I have found for cyano in term of a live critter is a hermit crab since they eat the excess food, poop, etc. that can fuel cyano growth. Tried an experiment recently where I added 30 hermits to my 90 gallon with an understocked clean up crew. Was starting to get a bunch of Cyano on the back of my rocks. I changed literally nothing else and the next day it was virtually gone.

I've looked elsewhere for while and I believe I will try the hermits, I only have about 5 now in my 45. If that doesn't work then the Chemiclean

 

[Gareth elliott]

I have had luck with these https://pacificeastaquaculture.com/collections/inverts/products/cyano-grazer-snails

Not saying they will fix an infestation, but those random one of pockets that form, they do help with. Bristleworms and microbrittle stars are good detritus eaters, as long as dont mind watching where your hand goes.

 

[Admann]

I have had luck with these https://pacificeastaquaculture.com/collections/inverts/products/cyano-grazer-snails

Not saying they will fix an infestation, but those random one of pockets that form, they do help with. Bristleworms and microbrittle stars are good detritus eaters, as long as dont mind watching where your hand goes.

Thanks for the info, 2 things I have plenty of stars and bristleworms (not foreworms), I can't pull my algae grazer or seneye out of the tank without a few of the stars stuck in them.

 

[Bellasmith]

I am also read some posts that black mollies could eat cyano but I did not remember where. I have some black mollies but I have never let them try it. My fish just eat algae, bloodworms, and brine shrimp.

 

[Squidward]

Mines never did.

 

[JasonK84]

My Powder Blue Tang eats cyano! Now I only have it in a single spot in my 120 gallon FOWLR (actually fake coral inserts). It’s close to the surface and harder for it to reach since it is a good sized fish. When I get tired of the cyano in that spot I just pop the fake coral piece off and bleach it. Rinse really good and pop it back in.

 

[ichthyogeek]

My mollies did not eat red cyano growing on Ulva, but that could have been a function of my overfeeding the tank at the time. A nice cube of mysis + a cube of brine shrimp with spirulina every day probably isn't going to motivate a fish to graze on cyano throughout the day.

Now if the fish is starving, it might nip at it. It really does depend.