Fish For Algae Control Poll

[ksicard]

Hey all,
My tank is a 150g 48x24x30 DT that is almost fully SPS. Stocked with 20-23 fish with most of them being wrasses. 10 wrasses, a golden dwarf eel, lyretail anthias, wyoming white clowns, midas blenny, sharknose goby, mandarin, swallowtail angel pair, and possibly others that I cant remember right now. That should give you a good idea for compatibility.

I purchase sps frags from other people in my local reef club and every now and then I get small tufts on algae on some of the frags I buy. Even with GFO and po4 at 0.02-0.03 the algae tends to take root occasionally. It's pretty light stuff nothing that bad, I have the obvious clean up crew w/ turbos and other assorted snails but they don't seem to clean up the small tufts so I wanted to try a fish as the solution.

I know they can be hit or miss, however I think if I get a good grazer the small tufts should disappear or at least be kept real tiny.

Take a vote and let me know what you guys think would be a good fit to take care of the tufts on hair algae. Tank needs to remain peaceful and I'd like to avoid possible nippers such as rabbit fish.

 

[Waters40]

Your tank already seems pretty heavily stocked but I have always had luck with the Lawnmover Blennys for algae control. I also have a Kole tang which picks but tends to stay away from the tufts.

 

[ThRoewer]

Most fish are very inefficient in eradicating algae - they usually just keep them short.
Some fish you may try is are mollies. I never used them myself for algae control, but I've come across quite a few posts where people claimed that mollies turned out to be excellent algae control fish.

BTW, after making bad experiences with bicolor blennies, I would be very careful in adding any combtooth or other algae eating blenny to a SPS system.

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[lespaul339]

When I did have a GHA problem, my lawnmower blenny did a good job of munching on it.

 

[ca1ore]

Fish as algae control is somewhat hit or miss. I've had scopas tangs, for example, that would eat every last strand; and others that wouldn't touch it.

 

[ksicard]

Your tank already seems pretty heavily stocked but I have always had luck with the Lawnmover Blennys for algae control. I also have a Kole tang which picks but tends to stay away from the tufts.

I personally find kole tangs unattractive, thats why i opted for either a white tail or a tomini as substitutes. My tank is decently stocked but the bio load isnt an issue. i've got my frag tank tied into the system and the tank doesnt have any issues with nutrients. There's no aggression in the tank either, except of course the wrasses chasing each other every now and then and just doing what wrasses do.

Most fish are very inefficient in eradicating algae - they usually just keep them short.
Some fish you may try is are mollies. I never used them myself for algae control, but I've come across quite a few posts where people claimed that mollies turned out to be excellent algae control fish.

BTW, after making bad experiences with bicolor blennies, I would be very careful in adding any combtooth or other algae eating blenny to a SPS system.

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I mentioned that I know that fish are hit or miss with algae but i'd like to give it a try since I dont want to add crabs and ive got plenty of snails. What as your bad experience with blennies and sps? I didnt realize lawnmower blennies were prone to nipping. i would be very unhappy if my PE on my beloved acros were non-existent.

When I did have a GHA problem, my lawnmower blenny did a good job of munching on it.

Fish as algae control is somewhat hit or miss. I've had scopas tangs, for example, that would eat every last strand; and others that wouldn't touch it.

I mentioned I realized this but I'd like to give it a try and thats what the poll is for, to help me choose the right fish that is most likely to munch on it and not bother the coral.

 

[ThRoewer]

All my bicolor blennies turned out to be acropora aficionados who like to feed of the smooth areas of the corals.

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[Greybeard]

Rabbitfish

 

[block head]

A tooth brush will probably be easier. My Tailspot destroys algae. They hold there own and don't seem to pick fights