green hair algae eater?

[paul87]

I have green hair algae in my tank and was looking for a good fish to eat it. Its 35 gallon. Needs to be reef safe. Was thinking maybe a court jester goby but don't know if my wrasse will pick ob him. I have a mccoskers flasher wrasse and a ocellaris clown. I also have pep shrimp, cleaner shrimp, all kinds of different snails including Turbo. None of them seem to touch the hair algae. Any ideas for my size tank? Thanks

 

[KSum89]

I have green hair algae in my tank and was looking for a good fish to eat it. Its 35 gallon. Needs to be reef safe. Was thinking maybe a court jester goby but don't know if my wrasse will pick ob him. I have a mccoskers flasher wrasse and a ocellaris clown. I also have pep shrimp, cleaner shrimp, all kinds of different snails including Turbo. None of them seem to touch the hair algae. Any ideas for my size tank? Thanks

I have some on 2 pieces of live rock i purchased from my lfs, my huge turbo ignores it. I need help on this matter too... Tagging along.

 

[Keithhjs]

I don't know if it's common but my lawnmower blenny eats it. Also my emerald crabs.

 

[cashmoney6980]

My emerald crabs love the stuff too. From my understanding, hermits will eat it too. Kind of weird that your turbos won't eat it! In my last 55 gallon tank, I'd have small patches pop up here and there, and it never lasted long once my turbos found out it was there! They would mow through it in no time.

 

[melosu58]

The best way to get rid of algea is to cut off the food source. I`m not a fan of getting livestock to get rid of it. Read this link on a good battle plan for fighting it.

FantasyReef Databases-Viewing item "10 Step Plan for Nuisance Algae Control"

 

[Sniperhank]

I had an awful outbreak of hair algae in my 55 reef. While I got the conditions under control, I found an amazing algae blenny. I had wanted one for awhile, so I added him. He went to town on the stuff. He had about half of it consumed the day after he was added. Was pretty impressive to watch him go to town on it. My clowns weren't to happy as they were living in the stuff, that is how long and thick it was! But what was stated by melsou is right, you need to get the underlying issue under control as well. Mine was being fueled by bad water and overfeeding, which is pretty common. I just love corals and want to feed them to get bigger corals! Was a hard habit to break. But through manual removal prior to water changes, RO/DI water, minimizing feedings and stopping feeding my corals was the key to winning this battle. The algae blenny was just an awesome addition that helped me out when I wasn't shoulder deep in the tank. He is still nice and fat, months after getting control of the problem. One of my local SW pals actually just dropped her lawnmower off as it was withering away. He is working on the algae in my FOWLR tank and doing well. The point of me saying this is using a blenny to solve the algae issue won't work. At best it will remove it, starve to death, and the algae will return if something isn't changed about your system/management.

 

[Mr. D]

My starry blenny eats it up but he can be a bit aggressive toward anything that looks similar and eats/lives on the sand bed.

My blue spot jawfish was probably killed by him and he throws my crabs around when they are on the sand during "day time"

 

[paul87]

OK. Thanks guys. That's pretty funny about the blenny throwing the crabs around.lol

 

[danbstrong]

OK. Thanks guys. That's pretty funny about the blenny throwing the crabs around.lol

I used a sea hare to get rid of it they only consume hair algae when the algae is gone you must return it or trade it cause it will die hair algae is the only thing it eats but your real issue is phosphates or nitrates

 

[raven43hike]

I had this problem also, I join this site and took the advice of someone and controled the nutrients and the rest is history it didnt happen overnite but less feeding and water changes with ro/di water did. it in two weeks time.

 

[danbstrong]

I had this problem also, I join this site and took the advice of someone and controled the nutrients and the rest is history it didnt happen overnite but less feeding and water changes with ro/di water did. it in two weeks time.

+1 on nutrient control

 

[paul87]

Sounds like the plan. Phosphate is good nitrates were a up a little before my last water change. All other tests were perfect. I have better test kits now so ill be on it. Water quality is everything! I am thinking of dropping if my blue leg hermits and picking up some scarlets. I think there is only 4 left. They killed my red leg hermits too and I have a PILE of shells they can fit. I hear the scarlet reef hermits are a lot less aggressive and I like the look of them. Any comments on the hermits?

 

[danbstrong]

Sounds like the plan. Phosphate is good nitrates were a up a little before my last water change. All other tests were perfect. I have better test kits now so ill be on it. Water quality is everything! I am thinking of dropping if my blue leg hermits and picking up some scarlets. I think there is only 4 left. They killed my red leg hermits too and I have a PILE of shells they can fit. I hear the scarlet reef hermits are a lot less aggressive and I like the look of them. Any comments on the hermits?

Personally i dont use hermits i do have a few but theyv been in there for years get nutrients under control and youll be good to go do you use chaeto?

 

[paul87]

Yea I have a half gallon homemade HOB refugium will a chaeto ball in it. I like the little hermits though. I thought about maybe an emerald crab but they may turn on a coral. I like the little hermits they're good little scavengers. Might just get a couple of the scarlet hermits

 

[danbstrong]

Yea I have a half gallon homemade HOB refugium will a chaeto ball in it. I like the little hermits though. I thought about maybe an emerald crab but they may turn on a coral. I like the little hermits they're good little scavengers. Might just get a couple of the scarlet hermits

I had an emerald once i witnessed it catching a sleeper goby it didn eat it but destroyed it gills and mouth the goby couldn eat it starved after about 2 weeks the emerald was size of half dollar size of dime when i got it i stay away from crabs myself for cleaners i have serpent star and 25 tongan nassarius snails couple turbos

 

[danbstrong]

I had an emerald once i witnessed it catching a sleeper goby it didn eat it but destroyed it gills and mouth the goby couldn eat it starved after about 2 weeks the emerald was size of half dollar size of dime when i got it i stay away from crabs myself for cleaners i have serpent star and 25 tongan nassarius snails couple turbos

And good waterflow very important

 

[paul87]

Not very big but it gas copepods all it. They hop into the tank every now and again. Ill see one slide down.LOL.

 

[paul87]

Actually been thinking about making a bigger one. A lot longer and ill just remove my HOB filter. I gave a 92 gph submersible pump that I think will do great. Would it be better to have a bigger fuge with more chaeto and LR rubble in it than the little half gallon that I have and a penguin 200 HOB filter with carbon cartridges?

 

[danbstrong]

Actually been thinking about making a bigger one. A lot longer and ill just remove my HOB filter. I gave a 92 gph submersible pump that I think will do great. Would it be better to have a bigger fuge with more chaeto and LR rubble in it than the little half gallon that I have and a penguin 200 HOB filter with carbon cartridges?

I have a 10g fuge on my 55g im setting up a 150g that one will have a 30g fuge 24 hour lighting also helps

 

[danbstrong]

I have a 10g fuge on my 55g im setting up a 150g that one will have a 30g fuge 24 hour lighting also helps

You said your phosphates are 0? When you have algae the algae binds up the phosphates which is why youd get a zero reading in the water column