Algae-eating fish for 44 gal tank

[GordoB]

Can anyone recommend any fish, aside from Lawnmower Blennies, that will eat algae pretty well, and that can get along with a GS Maroon Clown, a Neon Dottyback, and a Blue/Green Chromis in a 44 gallon reef tank? If there are no other suggestions, I'll probably just get the Lawnmower Blenny. I like them, but I was hoping for something with a little more color.

Thanks,
Brad

[Geoff]

a better skimmer and better siphoning during water changes.

i have had horrible luck finding any fish to eat algae. the smaller the tank the harder.

what kind of algae are you trying to get rid of? hair algae is easier to get rid of with better maintenance than trying to find a critter to eat it. eating the HA does not get rid of it, it just changes its form for a short period of time. the critter will eventually process the algae and poo out the phosphates, which will just fuel more HA.

G~

[Loverotties]

Better water and skimmer will kill it!

[GordoB]

I was hoping you weren't going to say that!! So, I'm going to have to break down and get a new skimmer, huh? What's the best inexpensive one? I have a Bak Pak 2 right now.

I thought by adding a UV sterilizer, that would help get rid of it, but I guess not. I have been storing some Chaeto in my skimmer for a little while now, until I can finish my refugium. Could that be the cause of the algae? The majority of the algae is underneath the output of my skimmer. I'm not really sure what kind of algae it is. It's fairly thick, and grows like grass. Is there a thread somewhere that has pictures of different algaes?

Thanks for the help,
Brad

[theplatypus]

You could try searching wetwebmedia.com .

[GordoB]

Thanks!

[GordoB]

Alright, I was just on wetwebmedia.com, and I think I have a mixture of Bryopsis with either Chlorodesmis (Turtle Weed) or Derbesia. I was able to pull some of it out last night with tweezers, but it's going to take me forever to get it all out that way. It doesn't really scrub off very easily either. Will it hurt anything to put a Lawnmower Blenny in there in addition to other measures of getting rid of the algae? If it won't hurt anything, is there a fish that eats algae like the Lawnmower, but is prettier?

I also have some Valonia Macrophysa (green bubble algae), and I tried an Emerald Crab. It died though. I don't think it was a healthy one in the first place. Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Brad

[Geoff]

LMB really like the diatomic film algae. they do not really eat anything else. their mouths are not designed for eating tough algae. they are designed for scraping film off of the rocks.

G~

[GordoB]

Shot down again!!! LOL!! Oh well. Geoff, any other suggestions on how to get rid of the particular algaes that I think I have?

Thanks for your help,
Brad

[LadyReefNeck]

I'm having some luck the past 3 - 4 weeks getting algae issues under control in my 75g with a Sea Hare and skimming wetter (to take out the phosphates the hare poos).

The hair algae seems to be gone. The darker green scrub brush type stuff (sorry can't think of the proper name of it right now) underneath is almost gone. The sea hare ate the long part of it and the tang nibbles the base off. Every few days I get a slight diatom bloom so I turn up the skimmer and it disappears. Now I just have to get find the time to get water changes in more frequently.

Hopefully you'll find a solution to your algae problem. Good luck.

[GordoB]

Thanks for the input. I had thought of Sea Hares, but I don't see them very often in the local stores around here.

[GordoB]

Isn't there some concern about the toxins from Sea Hares in home aquariums? Is there special care that needs to be taken with them? Could I keep one with the Neon Dottyback in my tank? I was just reading about them, and saw that they secrete toxins when startled that can kill fish. That worried me a bit.

Thanks again,
Brad

[Geoff]

the main problem with sea hares is that they eat a lot of algae. it will not be long before it starves. i had one for a year. when i went to BB i was not able to keep enough algae in my tanks for it to live. i actually moved it between two systems, and still was not able to keep it alive.

G~