best hair algae eaters?

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misskeeter2766

misskeeter2766

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 20, 2010
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261
Location
Texas
So I had settled on an emerald crab... I was happy with that choice. Now my lfs (even though I don't want to buy ANYTHING from them... ), is telling me that they really don't want me to put an emerald crab in my nano.. they would rather I get a tail spot blenny or peppermint shrimp to control my hair algae. ... I told her I was concerned with a peppermint shrimp bothering the cleaner shrimp I want to get... and she said "no... they'd get along fine" ...


I don't trust her... I don't trust them anymore, but they are my only choice for purchasing livestock for the tank at this moment...

Should I insist on the emerald crab or go with one of her choices?
 
How bigs your tank?

I don't think in a nano you're going to find anything that can really just take care of it for you - you need to try to solve what's causing it or you'll never get it under control.

There are critters that can help you, but they can't do it alone.
 
Peppermints don't each hair algae. Go for the emerald. Cleaners and Peppermints don't fight but the Peppermint won't do anything for your tank. I agree with neilanh, your gonna have to solve it.
 
the hair algae came on a peice of live rock I added to the tank when I was starting up (from my lfs... man I am liking them less and less) and now it's spreading.

so how do I "solve it"???
 
Light and food! That's what feeds HA. Cut down on both a/o do lots of pwc's and you can beat it. I feed my fish every other day, sometimes going 3 days, but I add a 1/4 sheet of nori for my tangs, pygmy angel and blennies. The female clown take a nip at it sometimes too.

Underfeeding is better for the livestock than overfeedig and leads to fewer problems.
 
okay... I think I was overfeeding. LOL. Kept trying to get that poor crooked spine clown to eat.
 
gave in and got the tail spot blenny when I was buying my dip for the corals today...
glad I did.. he's so perky and funny and cute... I LOVE him.. he's munching away on the algae too.. brown.. green.. he doesnt care... (have watched him for awhile now.. he's yet to take away any of the purple.... smart guy!)
 
oooh okay.. I did get one pic earilier.. he was munching on the brown algae on the back of the tank... I'll see if I can get a video tomorrow.. :) especially since my new "stuff" is coming in... :)
 
Okay.. this was the best picture I could get earlier...
parden my messy back wall. LOL.. was leaving the lights on too long for the sick nem...

Benny (the tailspot blenny) really gets along well with the clown... (yes yes.. Nemo... I have a 5 year old.. didn't get a say so.. lol)... he also really loves the little cave in the peice of liverock at the top of the tank... he curls up in it and pokes his cute little face out... cant get a pic of that yet... will try again tomorrow.
27977-albums880-picture6240.jpg
 
p.s. I think those are snail eggs on the back wall... or snail poo... dont know.. but my nassas keep looking like they are gettin busy.. then these little white dots covered in clear stuff keep getting stuck everywhere in little rows... saw my nassa leaving a trail of them today
 
yeah i was having a problem with hair algae. then i realized i was leaving my light on 12+ hours a day in my biocube. got a timer, bought 6 turbo snails, and the algae was gone in a matter of days, and believe me, it was BAD
 
how many hours is good for the light to be on??? wondering if I have enough/too much
 
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