Help with calerpa

[salt newbie01]

Is there anything I can put in my 75 gallon that will eat calerpa?? This stuff is killing me, It's like kudzu. No matter how much I pull out it just keeps growing back. Are there any fish that will eat it???? I saw a sailfin tang at a lfs - it was small but pretty cool looking. Would it eat the stuff and would it get to big for a 75? If anyone has had any luck getting rid of this stuff please share your secret.

 

[imsqueak]

What ever you get, dont worry about outgowing your tank. By the time it does you will have made end roads to the wife about needing a bigger tank!

That our you would probably find someone local with a bigger tank who would want it...

 

[salt newbie01]

I just don't want to be arrested by the dreaded tang police!!!! And your right I am already trying to weave my web of deceit to get a 125 in 2-3 years!! I just hope the wife doesn't read this thread!! So if I got a small sailfin tang it wouldn't outgrow the tank in a couple years?? would a sailfin be likely to eat calerpa??

 

[EvilMel]

Just so you know...I disagree.

I think there is a good possibility that you could eventually find a home for a fish that outgrows your tank, but I think it's a bit irresponsible to rely on other people to take your big fish off your hands (a 16" tang no less). I also don't think it's a good idea for someone new to reefing to think in that fashion.

Maybe you could scrub the rocks outside the tank? Maybe you could let someone with a tang borrow a rock or two from you for a bit.

What about a yellow tang that would eventually probably not totally overgrow your tank?

But this is JMO and we all have our own reefing philosophy.

 

[Fishboy42]

Patrick I had the same problem in my 125 reef, it was absolutely covered in caulerpa and I couldn't make a dent in it manually. I wish I had pictures; it was a 6' lawn of feathery badness. I added a naso tang, and ~6 weeks later, the algae was exterminated, although now I'm left with a fast-growing fish that needs to be fed a LOT of food supplementally to stay fat (healthy).

If you definitely plan to upgrade, then you could probably get a larger tang, but sailfins do get really big. I was at Inland Aquatics last weekend, and they had some HUGE sailfins in 950 gallon reefs that STILL looked cramped. A yellow or kole tang would probably do the job and wouldn't outgrow your tank as quickly.

Matt

 

[cee]

Herbivores can be hit and miss with caulerpa, but I like rabbitfish for controlling it. However, as gflat at MTRC found out the hard way, rabbitfish aren't necessarily "reef safe". I find them to be extremely voracious algae eaters and they don't really discriminate. They can, however, get large like the tangs.

Some people have luck with sea hares, but again its hit and miss and depends on the species you get as well as the size. They can secrete a purple dye for defense though. Or, you can always cook it for a month or two.

Dave

 

[gflat65]

Yup, my Scribbled Rabbitfish took out my razor caulerpa in quick fashion, then moved on to my zoas, even quicker... Art has one, too, and hasn't had any problems with his, as have a number of people on RC (posted a thread about it in the Reef Discussion). I had razor everywhere and was pulling three heaping mounds out every three or four days (and under high lights, it grew really small, so it was hard to get a finger under).

Scrubbing is an option, though it may not get it all. I have gotten rid of some bad algaes (it was very effective on valonia for me) in the past by using a toothbrush in some tank water and scrubbing til it hurt like so much kitty lovin'. My Ptang, then finished the rest of that outbreak off for me.

 

[Runner]

I just pull mine off when I water change. And I have a sump with caulurpa to suck out the nutrients 24/7 and out-compete what I have in my tank. My little Kole tang nibbles on it from time-to-time, but only if I haven't fed him in a while.

 

[CaptainDave]

I had the horrible caulerpa affliction, and a yellow tang completely decimated it. then he turned into a jerk, though, and it took me like six months to catch him. but still, he really mowed that caulerpa down.

 

[salt newbie01]

Thanks for the advise everyone. I asked the question because I want to get a fish that can stay in my tank. I can't imagine trying to get a fish out of a tank with all the rock work. I asked about the sailfin because 2 diff LFS told me they would be fine in my 75 and 2 websites I found ( doing a search under google ) said they reached 8 inches. That didn't sound too big to me. But this may be bad info. How big do sailfins get???? And how quick do they grow???? I do believe that I will be able to upgrade to a 125 but it will be 2-3 years. If a small sailfin (approx 2.5 inches) would outgrow my tank in 3 years then I don't want to get it. If that is the case would a yellow tang or a kole tang be better suited for my tank?? And if so which one , kole or yellow???? Thanks everyone for the input. I don't think I want to try a rabbit fish because it might turn on my corals. I wanted to get a flame angel but I have given up on that idea because I don't want to get one and then have it start eating my corals. Again, I can't imagine trying to get a fish out of a tank with all the rock work. I just want to get rid of the calerpa, and get a fish well suited to my tank in the process. Thanks again to everyone for the advise...as a newbie I just want to make an educated decision.

 

[CaptainDave]

well, a Kole is much less aggressive and a better reef inhabitant, but I was under the impression that they mainly ate film algae, and wouldn't really go after stuff like caulerpa? someone correct me if i'm wrong.....

 

[Runner]

A Kole tang wouldn't be good to get for just eating macro-algae. Mine mostly nibbles the film and detritus. He only occasionally eats the macro in my tank -- and then only a few of the leaves of the razor version. He stunned me once by cleaning it all out of my tank. Two weeks later, most had grown back because he decided not to eat any more.

 

[salt newbie01]

So apparently the 2 websites I looked at yesturday were run by idiots. I have looked at countless sites late last night and this morning and all of them state 16 inches on the sailfin. So once again a newbie was almost mislead!! So obviously thats too big. What about the atlantic blue tang? It seems the yellow or possibly the atlantic blue may be my best bet size wise for my tank long term. Anyone have any thoughts on which one would be best for my tank?

 

[Chris_Campbell]

Could those sites that said 8 inches have been refering to the size of animal they sell perhaps? I noticed some placed do that.. list the selling size and not the adult size.

 

[salt newbie01]

Thanks again to everyone for the help. My LFS has 2 small (2.5 inch) yellow tangs that he has had for 9 days. He is going to hold one of them for me for another week. Hopefully this will help the fish stress less. They both look good with no marks on them and they seem to act good. Free swimming and both are eating seaweed from a clip. I think the yelllow would be better suited to my tank and they are nice and bright, so it will also help add color. So keep your fingers crossed for me that I have good luck getting it aclimated in my tank and hopefully no ich. AND NO MORE CALERPA!! Well at least keep the calerpa at bay.

Thanks again,

 

[ReefRacer]

my yellow tang wont eat calurpa. he loves gracalaria.

 

[ct_vol]

I didn't think you were supposed to put 2 tangs in the same aquarium??? Or do you mean you only bought one and they're holding that one???

 

[salt newbie01]

I sure hope he will eat calerpa. I may get the LFS to put some in the tank and see if he eats it.
I am only getting one and the LFS is holding it. I am getting some ro/di water next week amd am going to start using that for all water top off and water changes. So I want to do a 5-8 gal water change with aged salt water and then several days later add the tang.
Hope everyone had a great weekend.