What fish will eat this algae

eqbal9947 · Oct 27, 2023

Hey guys. I have this thin algae. My naso,gem and regal will not touch it. I also had a one spot foxface that wouldn’t either.
Any advice on something that will eat it?

littlefoxx · Oct 27, 2023

Hair algae I think based on the pics? Dollabella sea hare. They love them and clean them off corals and never harm my corals in the process

eqbal9947 · Oct 28, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Hair algae I think based on the pics? Dollabella sea hare. They love them and clean them off corals and never harm my corals in the process

thanks!

Alpha_and_Gec · Oct 28, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Hair algae I think based on the pics? Dollabella sea hare. They love them and clean them off corals and never harm my corals in the process

My LFS just came in with one this week and I'm probably going to be getting it. What powerhead guards should I use? Is the default cover on the hygger and maxspect systems sufficient? I haven't gotten anything stuck inside it except for a sea star, but I'd rather not take chances. A bit afraid of these guys' toxins.

littlefoxx · Oct 28, 2023

Alpha_and_Gec said:
My LFS just came in with one this week and I'm probably going to be getting it. What powerhead guards should I use? Is the default cover on the hygger and maxspect systems sufficient? I haven't gotten anything stuck inside it except for a sea star, but I'd rather not take chances. A bit afraid of these guys' toxins.

Ive had two. One died in my tank and didnt nuke it. I pretty much just let them do their thing. As for powerheads I dont do anything special. These guys try to climb the glass but always fall off, they really can only climb rocks from what Ive seen. Not like snails or stars that can hold on, they may get to the top but then just kinda fall off, its quite funny actually cause they just roll back over and go about their business. I do handle mine every now and again to get him used to me and not shoot toxins if I had to handle him for some reason. Pretty awesome critter. Wouldnt honestly have a tank without one in my clean up crew! I say get it, you will be amazed and how good they are with making the tank look clean!

Alpha_and_Gec · Oct 29, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Ive had two. One died in my tank and didnt nuke it. I pretty much just let them do their thing. As for powerheads I dont do anything special. These guys try to climb the glass but always fall off, they really can only climb rocks from what Ive seen. Not like snails or stars that can hold on, they may get to the top but then just kinda fall off, its quite funny actually cause they just roll back over and go about their business. I do handle mine every now and again to get him used to me and not shoot toxins if I had to handle him for some reason. Pretty awesome critter. Wouldnt honestly have a tank without one in my clean up crew! I say get it, you will be amazed and how good they are with making the tank look clean!

Thanks. All my wavemakers are hung pretty high up, but since my hawk loves to perch on them I was a fair bit scared. Do wrasses tend to pick at them at all? I've got a curious marginatus that wants to eat everything and wrasses seem to have a history of mass berghiacide, wonder if it's the same deal here.

Going to pick it up tomorrow if I'm going to get it, they get sold very quickly.

Alpha_and_Gec · Oct 29, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Ive had two. One died in my tank and didnt nuke it. I pretty much just let them do their thing. As for powerheads I dont do anything special. These guys try to climb the glass but always fall off, they really can only climb rocks from what Ive seen. Not like snails or stars that can hold on, they may get to the top but then just kinda fall off, its quite funny actually cause they just roll back over and go about their business. I do handle mine every now and again to get him used to me and not shoot toxins if I had to handle him for some reason. Pretty awesome critter. Wouldnt honestly have a tank without one in my clean up crew! I say get it, you will be amazed and how good they are with making the tank look clean!

Oh and also, how big was yours when you got it? The ones at my lfs are about 10 - 15cm or so, and since they have short lifespans I'd rather get a smaller one, but I'm not sure how big a smaller one would be.

littlefoxx · Oct 29, 2023

Alpha_and_Gec said:
Oh and also, how big was yours when you got it? The ones at my lfs are about 10 - 15cm or so, and since they have short lifespans I'd rather get a smaller one, but I'm not sure how big a smaller one would be.

My first one was about 3 inches. My second was about 2 when I got him, he is about 3 to 3.5 inches now. I also put a nori clip in the sand for him to make sure he gets all he needs since he is so good at his job lol.

Alpha_and_Gec said:
Thanks. All my wavemakers are hung pretty high up, but since my hawk loves to perch on them I was a fair bit scared. Do wrasses tend to pick at them at all? I've got a curious marginatus that wants to eat everything and wrasses seem to have a history of mass berghiacide, wonder if it's the same deal here.

Going to pick it up tomorrow if I'm going to get it, they get sold very quickly.

And I have a melenarus wrasse and a harlequin tusk with him, neither so much as look at him. Only issue he has ever had with a fish was when he tried to crawl over Ivar, my jeweled eel, who was very upset at him lol

Alpha_and_Gec · Oct 29, 2023

littlefoxx said:
My first one was about 3 inches. My second was about 2 when I got him, he is about 3 to 3.5 inches now. I also put a nori clip in the sand for him to make sure he gets all he needs since he is so good at his job lol.

And I have a melenarus wrasse and a harlequin tusk with him, neither so much as look at him. Only issue he has ever had with a fish was when he tried to crawl over Ivar, my jeweled eel, who was very upset at him lol

Whelp, just got mine acclimating, standard step - by - step acclimation I do for all my fish and inverts. He's probably exactly 10 cm long. Hope he helps my urchin out... even better if he purges it all in a night..

Zero nitrates, SG somewhere around 1.016.

littlefoxx · Oct 29, 2023

Alpha_and_Gec said:
Whelp, just got mine acclimating, standard step - by - step acclimation I do for all my fish and inverts. He's probably exactly 10 cm long. Hope he helps my urchin out... even better if he purges it all in a night..

Zero nitrates, SG somewhere around 1.016.

Cool! I live them, they are so cute too! Their little face looks like a hippo

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Oct 30, 2023

Alpha_and_Gec said:
Whelp, just got mine acclimating, standard step - by - step acclimation I do for all my fish and inverts. He's probably exactly 10 cm long. Hope he helps my urchin out... even better if he purges it all in a night..

Zero nitrates, SG somewhere around 1.016.

Do not put a sea hare in 1.016 water! WAY too low