Need a fish that'll eat this stuff

RobertK

RobertK

Premium Member
I have this red algae growing in my tank. My snails and blue tuxedo urchin won't eat it. The diadema urchin ate it but he got too big for my tank. It has a coarse texture and is firmly attached to the rock. It does not pull off easily at all. My tank is 70 gallons so I can't keep most tangs. Maybe a Kole. Anyone know what fish will eat this stuff?

My parameters are all fine, nitrates and phosphates zero, skimmer and refugium pumping. The tank has two clowns, a royal gramma, a dottyback, yellow assessor and coral beauty plus various inverts. Lighting is T5 on the blue end of the spectrum.

Thanks,
Robert


red%20algae%203.jpg
 
I had a serious bout with that stuff. I don't think you'll find anything that eats it. In my case, I pulled if off the rock manually, using my fingernails, tweezers, and dental scraping tool and whatever else let me get it off the rock. That...and making sure the alkalinity, magnesium and calcium levels were always at correct levels...eventually wiped it off the map for me. And, it never did come back.
 
I have a heck of a time pulling it off the rocks. The filaments break off and the base stays stuck to the rock. What herbivores (fish and inverts) did you try that didn't eat it?
 
I have personally seen two tangs eat that stuff -- a yellow and a blue eyed (( Ctenochaetus binotatus )).

However, I have some Mexican turbos that seem to love the stuff, my 75 was darn near over run with the stuff. A month later and 4 Mexican turbos later and it is nearly gone. Granted I did do some manual remove too.
 
Thanks, I might try some mexican turbos. The hawaiian turbos didn't eat it but may be the mexicans will.
 
Gelidium- it almost took over my 34 gallon tank because I had no tangs.

Tangs will tear that stuff up. in my new tank my Achilles Tang, and Blue Hippo destroy it.

You could put a small Kole in there if you ever plan on going to a bigger tank, or if you know someone with a large tank that would take it when it gets bigger. Some will disagree but 70g is not terribly small for a small tang. I just would leave it in there once it gets mature.

Pencil Urchins (that's what I used) will eat it and I hear Mexican Turbos will, but I've had trouble with them. Also baby emeralds will help out some.
 
RobertK said:
Ranger -
What sort of trouble have you had w/ turbos?
Click to expand...

I can never keep them alive. I usually drip acclimate for 1-2 hours but they still don't do well in my tank. I've read a few places that they are more cold water snails and do not do well in warmer tanks. My tank get 81 at the absolute most but they didn't make it. After the first 4 I put in there died, I never tried again because I didn't want to kill anymore snails.
 
OK, thanks. Hopefully I'll have better luck w/ the turbos, though my tank runs a little warm too.

The diadema urchin was an algae eating machine but it got really big really fast, then it stung me a couple of times (ouch!), so I don't really want another one. Don't know much about pencil urchins, I'll read up on them. Still considering a spotted Kole, but have concerns about aggression based on some other users' reports about Kole tangs. How about a blenny?
 
RobertK said:
OK, thanks. Hopefully I'll have better luck w/ the turbos, though my tank runs a little warm too.

The diadema urchin was an algae eating machine but it got really big really fast, then it stung me a couple of times (ouch!), so I don't really want another one. Don't know much about pencil urchins, I'll read up on them. Still considering a spotted Kole, but have concerns about aggression based on some other users' reports about Kole tangs. How about a blenny?
Click to expand...

I tried a lawnmower blenny and it wouldn't touch the stuff. I would say try the turbos and a pencil urchin, if that doesn't work a small tang might be your only bet.
 
My rabbitfish took care of it in my tank, but most will get too big for your tank. I ordered a green spotted rabbitfish, but actually got a gold spotted rabbitfish.

Keith
 
I thought about a rabbitfish too, but I think they all need a lot more swimming room than I can give them.
 
IMO that stuff is not a problem. I like it personally. However I had a hippo that ate everything. Hair, Chaeto, Hameleida, etc. .
 
I had a yellow once but he was mean to my other fish, cut my clownfish with his blades so I took him out. I don't remember if I had this red algae back then but I'm reluctant to get another one. Still have the same clownfish (going on 12 years now!).
 
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