Should I get a Dolabella Sea Hare?

[JonnyTorch]

Hey all,

I don't post often and I'm kinda new. I'm a little self-conscious at hearing negative feedback, so sometimes I just do a bunch of reading and try to apply. So thank you for all of your help in advanced for this and for some of you mega-posters out there, much appreciated. Once my tank was cycled I added a cleanup crew to try to combat the oncoming algae battle...

So my tank is about 3 months old. 20g nano AIO. I have some small frags in there. After 3 months the water params are perfect, and all coral frags/fish are doing mighty fine. I have a scooter blenny eating pods shooting out my AIO fuge daily, he's spoiled and getting quite fat, and then two baby ocellaris clowns, that's all the fish I have but I have a large CUC made of 1 Emerald Crab, 2 Ceriths, 2 Nassarius snails, 1 margarita snail, dwarf conch and 2 small Tuxedo Urchins. I feed about half a cube to a whole cube a day, and I spot feed my frags with ReefRoids/Brine/Mysis every so often about 2-3 times a week.

My problem is that the tank uglies won't go away, it seems to be a mixture of random hair algae, brownish green, or brown growing on green. I know they can last a long time, but I'm over it. I've scraped and scrubbed and siphoned during water changes, but does nothing. It keeps coming back.

Salt: 1.024 - 1.025
Amonia: 0 - 0.15
Nitrite: 0
NitrAte: 2-10
Calcium: 420
Phos:0
Alk: 9.3
Mag: 1410
PH: 8

What can I do? Should I get a Dolabella? Will it drastically get rid of this? I hear they don't ink really. I'm just wanting that pristine look, I know it'll take time, but I'm also a fan of hard work and dedication and I'm also a perfectionist.


PS please don't judge me on the messy GSP, it was free. Also the white things in the corner next to the smiley face are cerith eggs.

 

[toadstool_paradise]

A sea hare would be good, my LFS seems to always have a huge one for “rent” lol. I haven’t heard of theirs inking, they treat him carefully. Other options could be a lettuce ‘sea slug’ or an urchin. I’ve used the lettuce before with amazing results until he accidentally got sucked into a pump..urchin is the best IMO. Obliterated my hair algae at the start of my tank a few years ago. I used a pincushion urchin but I think most will eat hair algae!

 

[JonnyTorch]

A sea hare would be good, my LFS seems to always have a huge one for “rent” lol. I haven’t heard of theirs inking, they treat him carefully. Other options could be a lettuce ‘sea slug’ or an urchin. I’ve used the lettuce before with amazing results until he accidentally got sucked into a pump..urchin is the best IMO. Obliterated my hair algae at the start of my tank a few years ago. I used a pincushion urchin but I think most will eat hair algae!

Thank you for your reply, my tank has two urchins in there already and there is more uglies and hair algae than they can handle it seems. Trying to reduce drastically and maybe after that they can maintain good control.. Perhaps a sea hare it is

 

[ScottJ]

Just stay patent and don't over stress about algae and other uglies with a new tank. I'm a year into my nano, and it's just starting to look better. Still have algae, but it's getting better. At least the sand is staying whiter than it was.

Nothing good happens fast!

 

[toadstool_paradise]

Thank you for your reply, my tank has two urchins in there already and there is more uglies and hair algae than they can handle it seems. Trying to reduce drastically and maybe after that they can maintain good control.. Perhaps a sea hare it is

If your tuxedos aren’t hungry for it maybe try a pincushion manual removal helps so yeah not a bad idea!

 

[toadstool_paradise]

Oh hey I just remembered I used a turbo snail and strawberry conch for my hair and cyano outbreak after beating dinoflagellates and they demolished it. Can see what your LFS has on stock!

 

[JonnyTorch]

Oh hey I just remembered I used a turbo snail and strawberry conch for my hair and cyano outbreak after beating dinoflagellates and they demolished it. Can see what your LFS has on stock!

Lol I have a strawberry conch! Maybe a turbo could work. Maybe a combo of turbo and hare. I want this gone lol

 

[toadstool_paradise]

Lol I have a strawberry conch! Maybe a turbo could work. Maybe a combo of turbo and hare. I want this gone lol

Wow yea my one turbo snail ate all the hair algae off my pump nozzle overnight after I added it to the tank.

 

[JonnyTorch]

Ok good stuff. I'll head to the LFS today if I can.

 

[johnc_ct]

I had a sea hare in my first 300g. He did a bang up job on the H.A. that had grown, then after he thinned out the algae, he just disappeared. My guess is that he couldnt find enough to eat and just perished. I had no idea he was starving since there was still algae available. Best to get a few snails and treat your algae problem with better quality water.

 

[JonnyTorch]

I had a sea hare in my first 300g. He did a bang up job on the H.A. that had grown, then after he thinned out the algae, he just disappeared. My guess is that he couldnt find enough to eat and just perished. I had no idea he was starving since there was still algae available. Best to get a few snails and treat your algae problem with better quality water.

I'm only in a 20g with loose rock work, so I can def pull him out! Good to know. My buddy has been telling me to get one, but I was afraid of the inking but after researching it appears Dolabellas don't really ink out.

 

[zalick]

Patience as it can last awhile.

I would not put a sea hare in there. I think it's Risky for the hare. It will demolish algae though.

I would add quite a few more snails. Specifically trochus. You don't have any true dedicated algae eating snails. A margarita is a cooler water snail. I'd add 10 trochus. And keep up with manual removal. They will eat short algae but not long.

 

[johnc_ct]

When mine went, he didnt cause any issues with the other tankmates, but starving to death sounds like terrible way to go. Even for a lowly sea hare. Try a couple of turbo snails and water changes. Truth is, no matter how much algae he can eat, you still arent doing anything to improve the water quality and thats the most important thing to deal with.

 

[zalick]

I intentionally grew a bunch of algae on some rocks to feed snails in quarantine tank. I put 45 snails in a 20g and they cleared the algae in about 2 weeks.

 

[JonnyTorch]

I intentionally grew a bunch of algae on some rocks to feed snails in quarantine tank. I out 45 snails in a 20g and they cleared the algae in about 2 weeks.

25 of which snail?

 

[JonnyTorch]

When mine went, he didnt cause any issues with the other tankmates, but starving to death sounds like terrible way to go. Even for a lowly sea hare. Try a couple of turbo snails and water changes. Truth is, no matter how much algae he can eat, you still arent doing anything to improve the water quality and thats the most important thing to deal with.

True! but my params seem to be doing well, so I'm a bit confused about what and why its happening. Maybe i was dosing too much phyto to begin with.

 

[toadstool_paradise]

I'm only in a 20g with loose rock work, so I can def pull him out! Good to know. My buddy has been telling me to get one, but I was afraid of the inking but after researching it appears Dolabellas don't really ink out.

If he had a bigger tank any toxins would be diluted more than it would be in a 20 if the sea hare inked or died. I agree, more snails and water changes! I have a 20 g as well and one turbo, one strawberry conch and some trochus snails really did well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey all,

I don't post often and I'm kinda new. I'm a little self-conscious at hearing negative feedback, so sometimes I just do a bunch of reading and try to apply. So thank you for all of your help in advanced for this and for some of you mega-posters out there, much appreciated. Once my tank was cycled I added a cleanup crew to try to combat the oncoming algae battle...

So my tank is about 3 months old. 20g nano AIO. I have some small frags in there. After 3 months the water params are perfect, and all coral frags/fish are doing mighty fine. I have a scooter blenny eating pods shooting out my AIO fuge daily, he's spoiled and getting quite fat, and then two baby ocellaris clowns, that's all the fish I have but I have a large CUC made of 1 Emerald Crab, 2 Ceriths, 2 Nassarius snails, 1 margarita snail, dwarf conch and 2 small Tuxedo Urchins. I feed about half a cube to a whole cube a day, and I spot feed my frags with ReefRoids/Brine/Mysis every so often about 2-3 times a week.

My problem is that the tank uglies won't go away, it seems to be a mixture of random hair algae, brownish green, or brown growing on green. I know they can last a long time, but I'm over it. I've scraped and scrubbed and siphoned during water changes, but does nothing. It keeps coming back.

Salt: 1.024 - 1.025
Amonia: 0 - 0.15
Nitrite: 0
NitrAte: 2-10
Calcium: 420
Phos:0
Alk: 9.3
Mag: 1410
PH: 8

What can I do? Should I get a Dolabella? Will it drastically get rid of this? I hear they don't ink really. I'm just wanting that pristine look, I know it'll take time, but I'm also a fan of hard work and dedication and I'm also a perfectionist.


PS please don't judge me on the messy GSP, it was free. Also the white things in the corner next to the smiley face are cerith eggs.

An excess of available nutrients, particular the majors like phosphates and nitrates. Keep an eye on possible iron and potassium sources which may also help fuel hair algae. Hair algae spores and fragments are so abundant that keeping it out of the tank via quarantine is unlikely to be successful. Your best bet to preventing this algae from taking hold is to maintain a weekly water change regimen, maintain your filtration and perform manual/natural algae removal as it forms. Proper magnesium and alkalinity levels are thought to discourage the growth of many species of GHA. Sea hare may or may NOT eat this stuff . other cleaners got hair algae are : Blue Leg hermits, Cerith snails, Chitons, Turbo grazer snails, Conchs, Emerald Crabs, Urchins and astrea snails.
deal with the nutrient issue first. Liquid vibrant dosed at 80% may help also with reduction of white light intensity.

 

[JonnyTorch]

An excess of available nutrients, particular the majors like phosphates and nitrates. Keep an eye on possible iron and potassium sources which may also help fuel hair algae. Hair algae spores and fragments are so abundant that keeping it out of the tank via quarantine is unlikely to be successful. Your best bet to preventing this algae from taking hold is to maintain a weekly water change regimen, maintain your filtration and perform manual/natural algae removal as it forms. Proper magnesium and alkalinity levels are thought to discourage the growth of many species of GHA. Sea hare may or may NOT eat this stuff . other cleaners got hair algae are : Blue Leg hermits, Cerith snails, Chitons, Turbo grazer snails, Conchs, Emerald Crabs, Urchins and astrea snails.
deal with the nutrient issue first. Liquid vibrant dosed at 80% may help also with reduction of white light intensity.

Thank you, I posted my parameters above, you can see in the post. Is there params that you see are off?
You did mention Iron and Potassium, that I'm not sure of yet. however many of the cleanup crew you suggested I already have except for hermits lol

 

[zalick]

25 of which snail?

45.
I had a combo of trochus, turbo and astrea. Mostly trochus. I prefer trochus as they can mostly right themselves when they fall over.

The 45 then went in my 300g.