Purple vs Foxface for Cualerpa Control

[C-Reefer]

hey guys! My tank is being taken over by grape cualerpa. It started with a small sprig of it months ago and I immediately pulled it out but it had taken a root. It started slowly spreading and now its just taking over the tank. Ive tried to keep it under control by manually pulling but it keeps spreading and its getting out of control rapidly. Nitrates are bottomed out and phosphates are too. I have a Tailspot Blenny and a Tomini tang as my algae eaters along eith a fairy and coris wrasse, two clowns and a firefish. The Tomini will nip at algae all day but wont touvh the cauelrpa or some small spots of tuft algae.a The tank is algae free except for the cualerpa anf some tuft algae and I dont feed nori but the tang still wont touch it. From what Ive read the Tomini is more of a detritavore.

I stupidly introdeced the tomini with a kole at the same tine back when I put them in, about 4 months ago. The tomini bullied and killed the kole. However I just added slme new very docile fish like the firefish and he flashed a few times at them but eithint 2 days they were all swimming together.

At this point Im going to have to get a fish to clean it up. Ive heard one spot foxfaces are very efficient and decently reliable and not too expensivez but Ive always wanted a putpletang. If i got a foxface that did not eat algea i coukd very easily return it and get another. it would be a lot more difficult with a purple. I figure the foxface would not get picked on because of the poisonous spines, and i figute the putple is a different shape then the tomini and also should be able to hold its own. Which one would yall suggest, and is there any way i could get both?

 

[Hitman]

Foxface is my suggestion.

 

[C-Reefer]

Foxface is my suggestion.

What are your reasons? have you had one?

 

[Hitman]

Had one and it was not a picky eater. Mine eat bryopsis as well. Lost him during a tank move 2 years ago.

 

[Jesterrace]

No biological solution is guaranteed to eat the stuff, but if you want to give them a try, I would definitely pick the Foxface over the purple tang for several reasons:

1) You already have an established tomini tang and mixing tangs can be hit and miss when one is established
2) Purple Tangs are pricey
3) Purple Tangs are notoriously mean and unless you have something else to keep it's attitude in check it will likely become a tank bully

For these reasons I would say the Foxface would be the better choice

 

[serwobow]

I have no experience with tangs but have had a foxface for years. It will eat almost anything, and eats continuously all day. Mine loves to eat grape caulerpa from my refugium. I am 95% sure that a foxface will eliminate all your accessible caulerpa within a few days.

 

[serwobow]

double post

 

[Elegance Coral]

I would do the purple because it's more "reef safe" than the fox face.
You shouldn't have to much of a problem between the bristle tooth and the purple.

 

[C-Reefer]

Had one and it was not a picky eater. Mine eat bryopsis as well. Lost him during a tank move 2 years ago.

Everything Ive beard about foxfaces say theyre excellent algae eaters.

No biological solution is guaranteed to eat the stuff, but if you want to give them a try, I would definitely pick the Foxface over the purple tang for several reasons:

1) You already have an established tomini tang and mixing tangs can be hit and miss when one is established
2) Purple Tangs are pricey
3) Purple Tangs are notoriously mean and unless you have something else to keep it's attitude in check it will likely become a tank bully

For these reasons I would say the Foxface would be the better choice

I know Purples are pricey but I would really love one as theyte my favorite tang so definitely willing to spend the money on one.

I have no experience with tangs but have had a foxface for years. It will eat almost anything, and eats continuously all day. Mine loves to eat grape caulerpa from my refugium. I am 95% sure that a foxface will eliminate all your accessible caulerpa within a few days.

Thats realky what Im hoping will happrn

I would do the purple because it's more "reef safe" than the fox face.
You shouldn't have to much of a problem between the bristle tooth and the purple.

I have heard about foxfaces nipping at corals... Im afraid if i fed less to make it eat the algae it may develop a taste for corals. I did figure since the bristletooth and the putple are different body shapes they should be fine.

Is there any possibility I could get both a small foxface and a purple tang? If the tomini becomes too much of a bully I would be willing if I had to to rehome to tomini for a purple and foxface. For now however I need the cualerpa gone so since the putple can be aggressive I amy go ahead and get a foxface and let it settle in and demolish the algae, stock my tank, then add a putple last.

 

[BestMomEver]

I suggest foxface too. I had a scribbled and he was great. He had to teach my baby yellow tang what to do.

Edit... I have a Tomini as well. Everyone is good. No fighting.

 

[Pbh-reef]

In terms of getting both purple and foxface - how big is your tank? What else do you have in it? I think getting both is worth a shot of the tank can handle it.

Have you tried a pincushion Urchin? I don’t know if they’d eat the cualerpa but may be worth a shot.

 

[AbnormalReefer]

From reading, I'd say the foxface. From personal experience, I'd say a purple tang as someone who has both...

In my experience a foxface is not as much of a voracious eater as a purple tang (but still voracious, nevertheless)

 

[C-Reefer]

In terms of getting both purple and foxface - how big is your tank? What else do you have in it? I think getting both is worth a shot of the tank can handle it.

Have you tried a pincushion Urchin? I don’t know if they’d eat the cualerpa but may be worth a shot.

Its only a 4 foot 75. I keep the fish very well fed and have no aggression issues currently.

Current stocking is mostly filler fish:
Small Tomini Tang
Firefish
Tailspot Blenny
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Lubbocks Fairy Wrasse

I didnt know a pincushion urchin was that good of an algae eater I yhought urchins mainly ate coralline.

From reading, I'd say the foxface. From personal experience, I'd say a purple tang as someone who has both...

In my experience a foxface is not as much of a voracious eater as a purple tang (but still voracious, nevertheless)

I also really really would love a putple as its my favorite tang

 

[C-Reefer]

bump

 

[Bryson.bobby]

+1 on foxface

Mine ate every bit of gha I had in my tank