Controling caluerpa

[pappadow]

I've had caluerpa growing in my fuge for about 3 years now and the inevitable has happened. It's growing nicely in my display now too... What eats caluerpa, lots and lots of caluerpa? I have a kole tang, he picks at it but not enough to even make a dent. I'm tired of pulling it out by hand.
Thanks
Tony

 

[kass03]

I would suggest a different tang but neither of those tanks are big enough for one. Koles mainly feed on diatoms and algae on the glass.
I wish I had your problem lol I have 5 tangs whom love caulerpa.

Urchins will eat it if you could get a small one. They can bulldoze things over and sometimes will eat coraline when they run out of caulerpa though.

kass

 

[pappadow]

Well the kole was a suggestion from my LFS as a tang that eats lots of caluerpa, I think I agree with you that he's not a big grazer. I had a scopas and powder blue in there before my power outage and melt down awhile ago. They didn't seem to like it either.

 

[frederickk]

I would suggest to go with a pink urchin. It might help.

 

[auto_loader]

A foxface would probably be a good choice too

 

[pappadow]

Ok, the Foxface is kickin butt. He's got the Caluerpa at bay now. Yay, now I don't have to put my arm in there anymore

 

[auto_loader]

You can feed him nori if all the caluerpa is gone

 

[davocean]

Kasso3
Which tangs do you have that eat calerpa?
My outbreak has just started, and I want to nip it in the bud.
My tank is 180.
Would a naso eat it?

 

[kass03]

Ive never had a naso so not sure.

It also depends on the caulerpa. There are many different kinds.
Mine won't touch the harder razor kind but will pretty much eat any of the others like grape, mexicana, etc.
I have hippos, a yellow and a sailfin right now. I would say most will eat it depending what type unless they are bristletooth like kohls and tomini which prefer diatoms and such.
It's always hit or miss though as some prefer hair algae over caulerpa.

kass