What to eat buble algea, but not eaten by Goby

[WilllisTooL]

My tank finnaly got some fun corals in it about 2 weeks ago, but one of the frags was carrying some bubble algea that is starting to grow in the tank, not much, but i want to head it off early. I was thinking of getting an emrald crab to munch it but am afraid that our blue spotted goby will eat him, as he has at least one maybe two blue legged hermit crabs. Do you think he will eat a crab or should i get something else to munch on the algea, or will more hermit crab do the trick? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[AllenFord_SC]

Mithrax crabs have been known to eat it. Also Red Sea Sailfin Tangs or Naso Tangs but those won't work in a 10g nano. You can easily remove it by hand as well. Just try not to pop them in the tank.

 

[WilllisTooL]

I was familar with the crabs munching it down, a friends tank was cleaned up by one, my concern is whether or not the Blue Spotted goby will try and eat a larger crab or not? I think those crabs are fun to watch anyways but i have been scared to have him gobbled up like the hermit crabs

 

[AllenFord_SC]

Not to sure about how the goby would react with the emerald. Never had either in the same tank, sorry. But on the brighter side.....
[welcome]

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[ipiniowa]

Emerald Crabs.
I had tons of bubble algae on 40 lbs of LR I bought from someone cheap. Bought 2 emerald's and after a couple of days they were tearing it up.

 

[Paintbug]

i have a pink spotted goby. he doesnt bother the crabs but the crabs sometime bother him . the crabs will sometimes come in the goby cave, so he leaves and lets them do their thing. i always say that room service is in the room cleaning.

 

[Shooter7]

Bought 2 emerald's and after a couple of days they were tearing it up.

Just try not to pop them in the tank.

I've asked this before and I'll ask it again...does anyone ever wonder why it's ok for emerald crabs to "tear up" bubble algae in your tank, but you have to treat it like fine china and by all means, don't pop them in the tank?

btw...I had bubble algae pretty bad in a previous 10 gal I had set up, tried 2 different emeralds in there and they didn't touch the stuff. Just my experience...

 

[nemofish2217]

what i have heard about bubble algae, is that you can pop it when it is still green and small and it will not spread or go sexual in the tank...however, if you wait till the bubbles are transparent or pop on their own, then the algae will go sexual....just what i have heard...

 

[NeilPearson]

I pop it... doesn't seem to make it spread faster

 

[cburns32]

The emerald crab should just gobble it up...I think you'll be fine...The goby shouldn't bother him even if he does go in his cave, the goby will leave for a bit then come back when he's gone they won't seem to mind each other, or just pick out the bubbles with out popping them...then kill them outside the tnak.

 

[DaveAngie79]

emeralds are the way to go they say 1 emerald will control up to 2-3 gallons of space son say you have a 75 gallon tank you would want to have atleast 20-25 of them i think thats a bit much I personaly have 8 of them in it tanks them awile but they are doing the job

 

[DrBegalke]

i think the emerald would be fine with a large goby.

 

[WilllisTooL]

Well thanks for all the info everyone, i think im going to head over the lfs right now and pick one up, if they have any. I guess we will just see how he does. I think the bubble algea population is still small enough that he should do a prty good job, but if not there are always more crabs in the ocean, or wait how does that saying go again...

 

[Paintbug]

once you get the emerald in there dont expect it to be gone overnight . it may take a few days for it to find the algae. since you have a 10g (from your sig) i would recommend getting a female. males can get pretty big for that size tank. ask the person getting the crab if they know how to tell the difference. if not get a couple in the bag/container, and look at their bellies. males will have a long then Apron like this:

females have more rounded Aprons like this:

these pics are not emeralds, but most crabs share this anatomy