Blennies

[Long Time Beginner]

I'm considering adding a blenny to help with algae control. Besides the regular lawnmower blenny, what other species will eat hair algae and be reef compatible?

I have a barebottom tank as well, so would like opinions on whether a blenny will be happy in there with no substrate. I have lots of rocks to hide in.

 

[A sea K]

Algae Blennies like rocks and won't really care about the sand. IMO none are very good at controlling hair algae at all.
My experience has been with a small Tailspot, two LMB and a Starry Blenny.

 

[MondoBongo]

my lawnmower blenny (Salarias fasciatus) never seems too concerned with the substrate. generally he isn't using it for anything. he much prefers to perch on things. rocks, corals, powerheads, etc...

i don't think most blennies would care one way or another about substrate.

reef safe is always open to interpretation, but if you want something different looking than a lawnmower, maybe try a starry blenny (Salarias ramosus)?

same genus as the lawnmower, and live aquaria has them marked as reef safe, but arguably a more striking color/pattern than a lawnmower.

all that said, your mileage may vary as far as eating hair algae. mine never really seemed to make too much of a dent in my GHA, but i love his personality.

 

[Mael]

for me, turbo snails and mithrax crabs did the most of hair algae. My lawnmower does pick at the rock but doesnt really do any significant removal as far as the algae goes. I plan on getting a tailspot but more because I just like them than for an algae reduction purpose.

Problem is the mithrax/hermits/shrimp may all go after snails, since they are opportunistic little guys.

 

[peasofme]

i had an emerald crab that ate gha