green hair algae eaters

[chyllhouse]

what’s up gang hope everyone is doing great, wanted to grab something for my tank to take care of some green hair algae i have on some live rock, it’s not a crazy amount so maybe i’m overreacting but was thinking at first an emerald crab but idk if it’s going to mess with my coral frags i heard they are hit or miss, is there any small fish i can get that would help with it? i have a fluval evo 13.5 gallon currently stocked with 2 small clownfish, a blood shrimp, and 4 snails

 

[TheBear78]

FWIW my emerald crabs happily climb over the rocks pulling out the tufts of GHA and while they do pick at my frags I've never seen them attempt to eat/hurt them. I do only have GSP, Zoas and a couple of leathers.

 

[fishface NJ]

You have to keep an eye on the emerald crab. I have had many in the past 20 years and never had a problem. I bought one back in Feb. He liked eating the polyps on my SPS. One of my SPS had a very noticeable bald spot where polyps should be and could not figure why it was like that until I caught the crab in two separate occasions eating the polyps on the colony. There was no algae in that area of the tank.

 

[stovenut]

How old is your tank? Are you testing your parameters regularly?
Most cases of GHA are from new tanks. It's just a stage new tanks go through. Just be patient and keep all your parameters within acceptable ranges. I don't think you should use either livestock or algaecides to eradicate algae. Just let it grow, knowing it will go away on it's own over a couple months. Having a good clean up crew of trochus snails, turbo snails and hermits will help it go away a little quicker by cleaning up waste.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I'm finding clean-up crews to be less than helpful when it comes to hair algae that is already established. Urchins and Sea Hares produce the best results once the hair algae grows long, but have their own issues. Urchins will happily munch of Coralline if there isn't enough algae. Sea Hares can "ink" the tank and really need a lot of algae to survive. Or the two, Urchin are probably less troublesome. If it is possible, you could just remove the long algae manually with a stiff toothbrush.

 

[New&no clue]

I would vote for Emeralds and Nerite snails. Urchins are also good, but in a smaller tank they can be problematic.

 

[chyllhouse]

FWIW my emerald crabs happily climb over the rocks pulling out the tufts of GHA and while they do pick at my frags I've never seen them attempt to eat/hurt them. I do only have GSP, Zoas and a couple of leathers.

good to know i have GSP and Zoa too!

 

[chyllhouse]

How old is your tank? Are you testing your parameters regularly?
Most cases of GHA are from new tanks. It's just a stage new tanks go through. Just be patient and keep all your parameters within acceptable ranges. I don't think you should use either livestock or algaecides to eradicate algae. Just let it grow, knowing it will go away on it's own over a couple months. Having a good clean up crew of trochus snails, turbo snails and hermits will help it go away a little quicker by cleaning up waste.

thanks for this , yes my tank is new about 6 weeks now

 

[chyllhouse]

I'm finding clean-up crews to be less than helpful when it comes to hair algae that is already established. Urchins and Sea Hares produce the best results once the hair algae grows long, but have their own issues. Urchins will happily munch of Coralline if there isn't enough algae. Sea Hares can "ink" the tank and really need a lot of algae to survive. Or the two, Urchin are probably less troublesome. If it is possible, you could just remove the long algae manually with a stiff toothbrush.

thanks for getting back to me

 

[chyllhouse]

I would vote for Emeralds and Nerite snails. Urchins are also good, but in a smaller tank they can be problematic.

yea was thinking an urchin but was think my tank is too small

 

[Sharkbait19]

Manual removal is key. Usually it’s too long for most cuc to make a dent, but once you do the heavy lifting, hermits, emerald, and snails (astrea or trochus) keep it from coming back.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Manual removal is key. Usually it’s too long for most cuc to make a dent, but once you do the heavy lifting, hermits, emerald, and snails (astrea or trochus) keep it from coming back.

don't forget FL ceriths. CERITH MVP

 

[EricR]

I do the stiff toothbrush method -- best if you can put the rock in a separate tub of saltwater. (For rocks in tank, I feel like I'm probably just spreading the GHA all over my tank,,, but I do it anyway).

*Others have posted a method of using stainless steel straw to pull and syphon -- looks like a good idea,,, but I don't have a good method of getting controlled syphon through the straw (yet)

 

[Bucs20fan]

Your tank is big enough for a turbo snail should you wish it. Mine mowed down GHA when I had it. Trochus snails will also eat it and they stay considerably smaller than the turbos.

 

[melonheadorion]

snails work well, as well as the sailfin algae blenny. you will run into the same issue, or possibly run into the issue, where they may completely ignore it. most livestock will seem to ignore it, if its too long or too much. this is where manual removal will help with it.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Your tank is big enough for a turbo snail should you wish it. Mine mowed down GHA when I had it. Trochus snails will also eat it and they stay considerably smaller than the turbos.

big enough to temporarily have a turbo.

 

[chyllhouse]

thank you all for the replies love it! love this hobby and forum!

 

[chyllhouse]

snails work well, as well as the sailfin algae blenny. you will run into the same issue, or possibly run into the issue, where they may completely ignore it. most livestock will seem to ignore it, if its too long or too much. this is where manual removal will help with it.

is my tank to small for the sailfish blenny? i got the fluval evo 13.5

 

[SlugSnorter]

is my tank to small for the sailfish blenny? i got the fluval evo 13.5

yes, maybe just go with some snails.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Tailspot blenny can go in a 13.5, but isn’t as good as an algae eater.