newb question regarding starfish

[MJAnderson]

Do snails, starfish and urchins eat the same type of algae? I have 25 snails, a linkia and a urchin in my 72g tank with 100lbs of LR. Wondering if it's safe to add more snails. The glass on my tank seems some cleaning...

 

[itZme]

The linkia is a mystery, nobody really knows what they eat and that is why they tend to fade away in some aquariums. The urchin will probably help itself to coraline algae more than anything else. The snails will usually eat lots of the green types of algae but not much in the way of hair algae. I have a couple lettuce nudibranchs that just hang out an the hair algae and eat all day. Dan has them for $12 I think.

HTH
-- Kevin

 

[offshore]

longspine urchine will eat algea, I have one that feasts on hair algea. I switch him from tank to tank anytime I see hair starting.. I keep a large cleanup crew with many types of snails and crabs over 100 in a 90 gal tank.

 

[MJAnderson]

I had a nudi and it faded away over about 2 months. Like 'em, but hate to condemn another to death in my tank.

Don't have that much of a crew in my tank -- 25 snails, 20 scarlet hermits, 2 emerald crabs, the urchin and linkia. I don't really have a hair algae problem, just bubble algae issues really. I wanted to add more to keep the microalgae down but I hate to starve out any of the livestock. If you're keeping 100 in a 90g I think I can add 20 more safely.

 

[offshore]

You can without a doubt, I havent and dont realy ever have a hair algea problem either , just seems as I swap out so many corals as I do, there is always some thing new appearing . I just find ways to deal with it, I cannot over stress How important I feel a good and numerous cleaning crew is to attack anything before it gets out of hand.As for your bubble algea, I would use emerald crabs , they have worked the best for me,