Algae eating small fish.

[fittiger]

Are there any small fish that will take care of this algae for me. I really don't want any tangs and I would like to try to keep an additional bioload to a minimum.

 

[Merfin70]

My tail spot blenny is quite the algae pig.

 

[goodtimes2]

Lawnmower or starry blennies are some options as well.

 

[Chibils]

It looks like a graciliaria of some sort. If you have a way to get him out, a foxface/rabbitfish would do the trick in a day or two. They love to chomp on macro.

I'd try the invert forums, as they know of some weird critters that might have a taste for macros.

 

[stunreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13128846#post13128846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goodtimes2
Lawnmower or starry blennies are some options as well.

I like my algae blenny, and it does a great job of removing different species of unwanted algae. I've had something that looked like that pic, and nothing ate it. I ended up just chiseling it off the rock (gently) underwaterand removing it. Hasn't been back since, which was almost a year ago now.

 

[fittiger]

Thanks for the replies. I've considered a rabbitfish, I like he doliatus, just thought it would get too big. I also have some valonia growing I hope he might like, as well as a few mushrooms.

I do like the tailspot blennies, but didn't think they would eat much algae, especially this.

I had a yellow scopas tang that I sold, for reasons I won't get in to, that ate the stuff. I thought he had gotten rid of it all but in 2 months its grown back as in the pic and continues spreading to different rocks. The extend of the spreading would make it difficult to scrape it all off.

I've also considered a red/orange spot blenny, but been afraid that it might munch on my sps. Any thougts on this? Also have heard the lawnmower/starry blennies have this tendency occasionally too. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks again for all the great thoughts.

 

[Chibils]

I still vote for a thread on the macro forums. If it is graciliara, you could probably chisel it off and sell it to someone there.