Yellow Tang Training?

[nyxx]

Well, I've developed a bit of green hair algae in my tank over time, and so I decided to get a tang to help eat it down a bit. I've put it off for a while since I have a relative small tank (55 gal 48"). So I picked a small yellow tang hoping he'd help. Just wondering if there's any tips on how to encourage them to eat it. I'm thinking for now get it eating nori consistently then substitute nori for green hair algae and see what happens.

Oh, and phosphates are 0.4 tested with Red Sea kit, so it seems I just need someone to help eat the stuff. I have plenty of snails and hermit crabs.

Any thoughts?

 

[jpa0741]

Imo not a good plan at all. I would never count on a fish to clean up hair algae. You need to solve the issue causing it.

 

[Sk8r]

If he eats it, he'll poo it back into the water, and the phosphate will still be there. You don't need a tang. You need a GFO reactor to remove the phosphate.

 

[ca1ore]

Agree that the first course of action would be to get the phosphate levels down. In terms of 'training', only thing I have ever tried was to not feed the fish for a few days and see if hunger makes the GHA more appealing. Don't go for too long though. Sometimes Tangs just don't eat it.

 

[nyxx]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, very helpful.

 

[nuxx]

Also try skimming wetter.

I'm having an GHA algae issue and have 4 tangs. Only thing that touches it are Turbo Snails.

Right now I've made sure no sun is hitting the tank (was pretty bad), skimming very wet, dosing vodka, doing automatic water changes and also using an algae mower vac to manually remove the GHA.

Seems like it's going the right direction...

 

[nyxx]

Also try skimming wetter.

I'm having an GHA algae issue and have 4 tangs. Only thing that touches it are Turbo Snails.

Right now I've made sure no sun is hitting the tank (was pretty bad), skimming very wet, dosing vodka, doing automatic water changes and also using an algae mower vac to manually remove the GHA.

Seems like it's going the right direction...

Yeah I've been trying to skim a ton, but might focus on improving that. I also need to be more consistent with water changes. Good to know I'm not only one.