Does anything eat caulerpa?

[MarineGirl411]

Hi,
I have caulerpa growing in my main display and it's driving me nuts. I've tried manually removing it, but it grows back in no time. I skim heavily and only feed 2 times a day. I have Anthias and I need to feed a little more than 1 time a day. Any suggestions? Would renting a tang work? =( I don't know what else to do. Please let me know. TY

 

[yellowwatchmen]

I have heard that angels will eat it. I have not tried it with my Coral Beauty but others say they will eat it.

 

[erendon]

A tang would eat it. (Yellow/sailfin/chevron and many more) I have never heard about renting one.

 

[sick1166]

yellow purple sailfin scopas anytang with a snout foxface

 

[gig]

I had some on a rock in my display and it never reared it's ugly head, I put the rock in my sump and it's really growing now. I have a majestic angel, flame angel, powder blue tang and a yellow tang, so they all eat it.

I woudn't recommend angels for the reef however, they can be touchy when it comes to certain corals. I may end up moving the two angels out as they nip some of my LPS's and Zoas.

 

[thor32766]

Rabbits will.

 

[p4ck37p1mp]

Foxface rabbitfish will lay waste to it, or did for me. My tangs wouldn't touch it.

 

[MarineGirl411]

I know all about the angelfish. =( I would hate to see my SPS or LPS get picked on. I'd need a fish that would be able to stay in the tank a while. Or until I could upgrade. TWV is 65 gallons. Display is only a 40 breeder :::sigh I don't know what to do. What would you all do?

 

[jackson5]

get a foxface much better than a tang.

 

[gig]

sounds like a rabbitfish is the way to go

 

[Mental1]

My foxface ate all the caluerpa growing in the tank in about 48 hours.

 

[SuperNerd]

Kalk paste

 

[SuperNerd]

Also I think what will eat it depends on what type of caulerpa

 

[MarineGirl411]

Here is a picture of it. This was the beginning. Now it's out of control and driving me nuts. No matter how much I remove, it comes back 2 times stronger it seems. Would a Foxface be okay in such a small tank though? I know they need at least a 70 gallon tank. My main display is only 40 gallons. I've almost got my max amount of fish. Also, they are venomous. Could they hurt my other fish? I've never thought about keeping one before, so I do not know much about them. I also read on LA that they might nip on clams and lps. Oye. =(

 

[oct2274]

foxfaces eat calerpa like it is going out of style. I had a ton of it and within 3 days I had almost none when i introduced my foxface!

 

[Muligan]

I have a 30 gallon frag tank with the same problem what would you recomend for a tank that size to eat the caulerpa

 

[zach0660]

Lawnmower blennies go crazy over that stuff!

 

[Mental1]

I had a foxface in a 55g. You could buy a small one and then pass him on once the deed is done. It has never come back in my tank. If you bought it small you could still keep it for a year ...

 

[MarineGirl411]

I could always get a little one then. Are they Venomous to other fish??? I don't know much about them.

 

[Piper1]

From liveaquaria:

The Bicolor Foxface, also called the Bicolored Foxface or Uspi Spinefoot, has a unique body coloration. The front two-thirds of the body is dark brown in color, and the posterior one-third is yellow.

It requires a 70 gallon or larger aquarium. It is a very peaceful species except when housed with other rabbitfish. Bicolor Foxface may be housed with more aggressive fish. Its predators will tend to leave it alone because of its venomous dorsal spines which it can raise when disturbed. Rabbitfish are generally reef-safe if they are well fed. If not, it is possible for them to nip at and consume some species of LPS and soft corals.

Its diet consists of a variety of fresh vegetables and algae. It does nip and possibly eat some soft and hard coral polyps.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 2" to 3"; Medium: 3" to 5"; Large: 5" to 7"