Best algea eating fish for that hard to reach stuff between polyps

[GreenReefer77]

What fish in YOUR tank does the best job of removing that hard to reach algea (in between the polyps) that tends to come in with new frags?

I've had decent luck with a Kole tang in the past, but I'm wondering what other fish might do a decent job without actually eating the polyps too

 

[650-IS350]

I don't do Tangs. Trye red scarlet hermits, blue knuckle hermits.

 

[natan]

counch or other snails, not fish for such a delicate job.

 

[mfinn]

Many tangs will decide to taste a polyp and when it dosn't bite back, the have been know to use zoanthids as a food source.
Once they do that, it's all over for your collection.

I usually use red scarlets

 

[Guygettnby]

i also use hermits for that job. i have tangs in my tank but i can vouch for them eating your zoas. they are not the best thing to keep your zoas clean by any means. i lost some really nice colonies due to a renagade sailfin tang.

 

[Doolin]

I've had good luck with emerald crabs.

 

[650-IS350]

EC' when they get big don't remain Herbivore... they become omnivore.. meaning your fish and probably coral will become fair game after a while.

 

[SHARKBAITNC]

THis will sound stupid but Molly's will eat all kinds of algea I have a pair of sailfin molly's in my frag tank and have zero algea

They are much more gentle on corals than any tang.

Nick

 

[650-IS350]

I've heard of people doing this. You just gotta acclimate them to the saltwater. They breed readily and can be come food for fish and LPS.

 

[SHARKBAITNC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15615980#post15615980 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 650-IS350
I've heard of people doing this. You just gotta acclimate them to the saltwater. They breed readily and can be come food for fish and LPS.

Great food source for corals, and Fish ( IMO )

Nick

 

[Roast]

I just recently put in about 1.5lbs of live rock into my tank. All the hermits have taken residence to the top of these rocks and now are camping! Should I move on to something like a fire shrimp? I've only ever seen them hovering around the filter. Should I push a hermit back down and tell him to get busy?

 

[Roast]

OH! Im sorry, I forgot to add that my zoanthid is now starting to collect a lot of green algae. So that's why I was thinking of "pushing" them down.

 

[650-IS350]

Fireshrimp are more ornamental than a clearner. Hermits when the get hungrier would start venturing around the rocks for more food.

Snails are also great algae scrubber. ( trochus, banded trochus, turbo, etc. ) anything that can right themselves up.