Too many?

[dmolavi]

I'm trying to find something that will nibble on the stuff in this post:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f18/red-stick-looking-thing-297549.html#post2829130

And was thinking of adding either a two-spot or tail spot blenny to the tank (just one). It's a 20, stocked with 2 clowns, a goby, a pistol shrimp and a cleaner shrimp. Would either of those two blennies overload the tank?

 

[54seaweed]

My coral beauty eats it and enjoys it I'm sure tangs would love munching on it too lawn mower won't touch it
you know you can manually remove it also

 

[dmolavi]

My tank is only 20...too small for tangs..and probably a coral beauty too.

Manual removal has been a PITA (read a few posts down the references thread...)

I dont want to overload the tank though. So if I have to spend 15 extra minutes each week to pull what I can, I will.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[dmolavi]

I think I've figured it out...more googling has me thinking that it's red turf algae , which, according to some folks, thrives in clean water.

It looks to be slowly spreading over the piece of live rock that has my zoa colony, so without killing the zoas, I can't do anything suggested here: Progress on Red Turf Algae | Living Reefs

Would either a tuxedo urchin, or mexican turbo snail be appropriate in a 20 gallon nano? More importantly, could either of them manuever through the zoas to get to the stuff, or will they kill the zoas? I have other algae on the glass (nothing major, just the typical junk that needs to be cleaned off weekly) that it could feed on as well.

 

[Stlrockguy]

Is there any way you could take the rock out and scrub most of it off with a toothbrush or something. Not sure if you can just brainstorming

 

[dmolavi]

No, it's intertwined with the zoas:

 

[Stlrockguy]

I have some really big turbos in my 150. They are bulldozers but do a really good job keeping algae down.

 

[dmolavi]

I just don't want to drop one of these bowling balls into my nano and have it do more harm than good...Are they able to selectively move over the corals (which will retract, I assume) to munch on the algae, or will it just steer clear of that colony all together?

 

[Stlrockguy]

I see mine on almost everything. Them damaging stuff does worry me at times

 

[dmolavi]

Does your "everything" include your zoas?

I'm wondering if I would have to keep it in the tank to keep the stuff under control, or trade him away when he's done his job...They're big bruisers, and in a nano...I get nervous...

 

[Stlrockguy]

Zoas, monti caps acans. They go around my coral on the sand and acros. I'd get rid of him when his job is done

 

[dmolavi]

Hmm..I'll ask at the LFS to see if they think it'll be safe to have one crawling on top of my zoas...the colony is doing really well, and I'd hate to see it squashed by the Stay Puft Turbo Snail

 

[Stlrockguy]

Lol. I hate it when the hermits starts picking in them. My zoas never do great in my system. But everything else does great