Hair-Algae: Best Fish/Invert that eats it?

[flamehawkfish]

hi Everyone


I realize that several factors (poor skimming, overcrowding, trace phosphate or nitrate) can contribute to hair algae, but any advice on good critters to combat it?

I know that there's no cure-all, but what can you recommend? Hermit crabs, sea urchins, algae blenny, bumblebee snails? What's the best anti-hairalgae critter out there?

Your thoughts? Please tell.

Thanks,

Flamehawkfish.

 

[Manta]

I tried a few things, snails, red/blue hermits, tangs, dwarf angels - when the algae got pretty long, perhaps a half-inch or more, that nothing would touch it. Ended up having to remove it by hand - not fun........

 

[d4a2n0k]

I have also found that once it gets too long, nothing will eat it.

I have in my tank right now:

Algae Blenny
Lettuce Nudibranch
Turbo Snails
Sea Hare
Emerald Crabs

The Turbo snails have been doing the best for me but again, wont eat it if it gets too long. I just took every rock out of my tank scrubbed and plucked every bit of rock. I also took every fish out and put them in a 20 gallon and will run the tank fishless for as long as it takes to get rid of the hair algae in my 45.

 

[Red_Six]

I finally got my phosphate and nitrate levels correct but I am left with the hair algae. I just got a sea hare and lettuce nudibranch yesterday. I read that a sea hare will only eat algae that are the same color as its body. I am sure it is hit and miss with these guys but I got a couple of winners. Even though my sea hare is red, it likes the hair algae. The nudibranch likes it too although he is sticking to the shorter stuff.

 

[flamehawkfish]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.
Do only certain types of or all nudibranchs eat hair algae? I don't really know much about 'em.

Hair algae is painful. I've got electric blue hermits, blue-legged hermits, snails, bumblebee snails, a sea-urchin, and a small purple tang. All together, they barely make a dent in the hair algae. (The sea urchin DOES help quite a bit, though...)

 

[Manta]

Nudibranchs have a very specific diet, research into some species reveals that they feed on a particular species of sponge and nothing else. You will need to find that specific group of nudis known to eat the dreaded hair algae. However be prepared to spend a fair amount of time pulling the stuff out yourself.

Good luck with it.

 

[michaeldaly]

Sea urchins (certain types) do a very good job at eating hair algae.

 

[dstalfire]

Forget everything and go get 75 hermit crabs. I fought the stuff for years, and now my tank is hair free. TRUST ME!

 

[gsbobcat]

I Have heard foxfaces work well.

 

[SAPseven]

Mexican turbos + scarlet hermits

 

[michaeldaly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10068834#post10068834 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsbobcat
I Have heard foxfaces work well.

They are supposed to. But mine does not have much of a liking for algae except for nori. Mabey mine is getting to much food and thats why he is not eating algae.

 

[Sepeku]

I've found my tangs (yellow and regal) eat the hair algae rather voraciously if I keep their supplemental feeding down. They never "clean the glass" so to speak. But they always keep it to manageable levels for the snails.

 

[jasontg99]

I second sea hares. They work great.

 

[chaseracing]

BIG turbo snails and tangs of you have the room.

-=E=-

 

[REV]

I ended up getting a sailfin molly. Look under freshwater fish. It is naturally a brackish water fish and can be acclimated to full salt. Take a day or two to acclimate it. It is very cheap, different and is a CONSTANT grazer. Mine continually searches and eats virtually any algae that is not calcareous. I just posted this morning it is cool when someone walks in and says, "Hey, isn't that a freshwater fish?" There is also a good degree of color variation with these - mine is a nice peachy orange with a few black spots. Anyway... voracious herbivore that is cheap and interesting.

 

[flamehawkfish]

hi Everyone

This is great feedback. A sailfin molly? I wouldn't have ever guessed that one!

Red-Six provided a nice close-up of a 'sea hare', but I don't want to get it confused with other nudibranchs.

Can anyone describe whatever distinguishes a 'sea hare' from its peers? Please let me know.

Flamehawkfish.

 

[dstalfire]

Seriously just get 50-75 red or blue leg hermit crabs, and the hair is gone. I fought it for 3 years, and now my tank is spotless. Thank God for the crabs! Never thought I'd say that.

 

[Waxxiemann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10075091#post10075091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jasontg99
I second sea hares. They work great.

I agree

 

[Rewd]

I started to get this in my new tank and my hippo tang mowed it all down. It never even had a chance.

 

[fours2many]

Tangs! Tangs will eat any and all kinds of algae. They will graze until every last bit is gone!
Never had algae again. I even have a tang in hubby's frag tank, just to eat any and all algae.


Kristin