Do clownfish normally eat hair algae?

[TGIF]

I have an off and on again GHA problem in my tank. Right now the hair algae at the back wall of the tank is kind of long, maybe half an inch in one area.

I caught my male clownfish eating the hair algae several times today. He was literally hanging off of the hair algae gnawing away. It almost looked like he was sucking on it but I could see him chewing.

Kind of disturbing but interesting at the same time.

Is this normal clown fish behaviour? I know the males will clear off rock etc for spawning but figure this is not what he is doing as it is the back wall of the tank, not the floor.

thanks!

 

[Texxxx]

My guess is that he eating pods in the GHA.

 

[copokie]

My guess is that he eating pods in the GHA.

I would have to agree

 

[fox2589]

i had a large HA problem and both of my clowns ate it daily!-Drew

 

[clowns101]

I look at it like this:

We people are all individuals and dont do every thing the same way.Not all people have a $500,000 house.Not every one like to eat salad.Some people have worked for what they have,others just asked for it and had it handed over.

It is the same way with clownfish.Some want to host an anemone as soon as it gets put into the tank,others want to wait and she what the anemone really is.Some clownfish want to only eat flake food,other dontAnd some may want to eat HA.

My point is,is every fish,may it be a Maroon clown,Ocellaris clown,a Nigripes clown,or a Percula clown,they will all have a diffiret "taste"Even the ones of the same species.Some Ocellaris may like flake food and may never touch any thing else,but another Ocelaris clown may eat what ever come into the tank!

Does that make sence?

Thanks,
Austin/clowns101

 

[TGIF]

Thanks for your responses. I thought maybe it indicated a deficiency of some kind in its diet.

I guess I just have a clown fish that loves GHA. I've caught him sleeping in it a few times. It's not much, just some hanging on the side of the glass but it loves it.

I doubt he's going after pods. My dottyback has depleted the tank.

thanks again

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

I also doubt he's going after pods. My female clown keeps my tank free of hair algae!

 

[Little Lucy 27]

my clown does go after pods on the glass....I was a bit bewildered at first but he'll eat anything...right out of my hand even...well except HA...wish he would!

 

[LockeOak]

I've never seen my ocellaris eating hair algae but she definitely passes it sometimes. I don't think she eats very much of it, though. Perhaps she's pruning the area around the anemone.