Lawnmower / Starry Blenny VS Bristletooth Tang for algae

[Zionas]

I would like to get an algae eater and I’m debating between a Lawnmower / Starry Blenny (Starry better) and a Tomini / Kole Tang for a 4’ tank.

I’ve read many stories of the two fighting with each other so I’d like to choose one out of the two, but I’m a bit on the fence about which one to get.

The blennies have lots of personality but if I can only find a Lawnmower it would be a bit drab. The Tang’s more colorful and active but I’m a bit worried about aggression in a tank under 100 gallons.

In terms of hardiness and ease of accepting prepared foods (I will be offering nori strips), which one is the better bet?

Thanks.

Depending on my housing situation I will definitely upgrade if possible in the future, but if it’s not possible for a long time would a small Tang species like a Tomini or Yellow Eye Kole be able to live for the duration of its lifespan (it’s a Tang so I’m expecting at least 10 years) in a 4’ 70-80gal tank without compromising its health and happiness?

Are Cthenochaetus more difficult in terms of feeding and dealing with disease than Zebrasomas?

 

[StlSalt]

I have a yellow eyed Kole tang in my 75 gallon and he's been fine for close to 2 years and probably near his full size. He did chase off my Lawnmower Blenny every time he saw him and eventually killed the LMB, sad cause it was the first fish I put in my tank and almost 5 years ago. The LMB and Kole tang like the same slime algae that grows on the glass so I'm guessing that's why he chased him to death. I also have a FoxFace in the tank and he's the real algae buster in the tank. I had a Caulerpa problem and he wiped that out in no time. He eats frozen but I still feed him Nori so he can get his daily greens. I'm not sure what's already in your tank, but maybe consider a foxface, my Kole Tang is a real jerk.

 

[X-37B]

My lawnmower never touched algae.
I have a Tomini and Covict tang, and a foxface iny 120. None of them touched the hair algae.
They all pic at the rocks though.
I added 40 astrea/pyramid snails and they have kept the algea at unnoticable levels.
I have a few turbos too but the others work wonders in my tank. Once the algae is short enough the snails work well.

 

[Zionas]

I see. Do the Bristletooth Tangs or the Blennies, do one or both of them have any trouble accepting prepared foods?

 

[X-37B]

All my tangs eat but the blenny just picks at the rocks and will not touch even nori. Others may. See if they will accept food at lfs.
I wont buy a fish if it wont eat.

 

[Dolelo96]

I see. Do the Bristletooth Tangs or the Blennies, do one or both of them have any trouble accepting prepared foods?

I have a Whitetail Bristletooth and he eats everything except flake food.

 

[TriggerFinger]

You won’t be able to keep all the algae at bay with just fish. Pick which one you like the best and supplement with a clean up crew. My starry likes film algae the best. She’s there waiting to slurp it up when I scrape the glass. She also eats anything thrown in the tank; hikari mysis and brine with spinrulina, nori, LRS and pellets. Only my hermits eat hair algae.

 

[nereefpat]

I see. Do the Bristletooth Tangs or the Blennies, do one or both of them have any trouble accepting prepared foods?

They both can have trouble. My lawnmower didn't eat any prepared foods for about 6 months. It eats all foods now. The couple different koles I've had and my current tomini all ate right away. You can usually have your local store show them eating before taking the fish home.

would a small Tang species like a Tomini or Yellow Eye Kole be able to live for the duration of its lifespan (it’s a Tang so I’m expecting at least 10 years) in a 4’ 70-80gal tank without compromising its health and happiness?

Are Cthenochaetus more difficult in terms of feeding and dealing with disease than Zebrasomas?

Yes. Fine in a standard 75. Tougher to feed than Zebrasoma, but they are not difficult fish at all. Some folks have reported Ctenochaetus not taking foods. It wouldn't be unusual for them to not eat nori, for example.

Disease...anecdotally, I've seen more Zebrasoma with illnesses than Ctenochaetus. But that is easily remedied by QT. Both genera of tangs are quite hardy.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Between the choices given here, I'd pick a combo of starry blenny and Kole tang.

 

[KorD]

I have a LMB in my 130, he is doing a good job on destroying the GHA, but not at the rate I would like to see. I am thinking a fox face will be my next investment.
I'm more mad at my urchin that is not doing a dang thing to help out.

 

[StlSalt]

My LFS let me bring in some of the algae that was plaguing my tank and drop it in the tanks with Foxfaces to see which one showed the most interest. It was Caulerpa not GHA, but that did the trick. Bought the one that showed most interest and he mowed the stuff down.

 

[nereefpat]

My LFS let me bring in some of the algae that was plaguing my tank and drop it in the tanks with Foxfaces to see which one showed the most interest. It was Caulerpa not GHA, but that did the trick. Bought the one that showed most interest and he mowed the stuff down.

That's interesting.

 

[StlSalt]

That's interesting.

I was surprised they offered to do that, I do spend all my money with them though so maybe they wouldn't do that for everybody. I mean you don't just go dropping algea into other peoples tanks.

 

[Zionas]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Do either these Tangs or Blennies need “mature” tanks at least a couple months old?

 

[Miller535]

I would say the starry blenny is substantially hardier and more likely to take prepared food. While you do want them to eat algae in your tank, you also need them to eat some prepared food. Lawnmower blennies are very famous for slowly wasting away in people tanks. I really do not see why you could not have either blenny with any tang though. I had a starry blenny before with various tangs, and I currently have a lawnmower with a hippo and a yellow. Neither of them ever even looked at the lawnmower.

It is worth noting that the types of algae that makes most people want to buy a herbivore fish, is NOT the kind of algae that herbivores will eat most of the time. In reality nuisance algae will often choke out the kinds of algae that herbivores will actually pick at.

 

[Zionas]

Thanks for the info, it’s helped a lot. I guess I’ll be going for a Starry Blenny over the Lawnmower. I like the colors more. How long do they usually live for, if you have any idea?

 

[nereefpat]

I really do not see why you could not have either blenny with any tang though. I had a starry blenny before with various tangs, and I currently have a lawnmower with a hippo and a yellow. Neither of them ever even looked at the lawnmower.

It's specific to lawnmower-type blennies and tangs in the Ctenochaetus genus (kole, tomini, truncated, etc). Like this situation below:

I have a yellow eyed Kole tang in my 75 gallon and he's been fine for close to 2 years and probably near his full size. He did chase off my Lawnmower Blenny every time he saw him and eventually killed the LMB, sad cause it was the first fish I put in my tank and almost 5 years ago. The LMB and Kole tang like the same slime algae that grows on the glass so I'm guessing that's why he chased him to death.

 

[mort]

Salarias blennies aren't always that hardy and can struggle to acclimate to a tank but that should be more of a problem for your lfs as I wouldn't buy one straight after import, and definitely not one that wasn't eating.
I've never had a problem with kole or tomini tangs eating. They are normally very quick to take substitute foods if they are healthy.

You could sum it up with, blennies have more character, live 4-5 years on average, more gentle vs a tang that lives 10-20 years if your lucky, eats more algae/detritus because of its biomass but will be more aggressive.

 

[Nathan Milender]

I have a lawnmower, bicolor, tailspot, and midas. None do anything significant to algae. So probably the tang for algae, but blenny's are cool fish.