Bubble algae

[BA]

i just saw tonight that i have a small rock smaller than my hand, that has some bubble algae, i know this can get out of hand and is a nuisance, what is the best way to get rid of it???i can easily take the rock out too, it only have xenia on it, and i have PLENTY of that...lol thx for the advice in advance!

[ClamFan]

I bought an emerald crab to take care of mine, and he did so, along with some of this red algae Im fighting now. I dont know what you have in your tank, but hes the only crab in my tank.

[StephenA]

I've always had it in my tank. I have 2 emerald crabs. It has never gotten out of hand and I doubt my 2 little crabs could eat all of it.

[Moonrs]

You might be surprised how much they can eat; mine devoured (eventually) a small tank infection. They'll keep at it, as long as they know it's there. try moving the rock closer to where the crab usually hangs out.

[GaryP]

Emerald crabs will eat some species of bubble algae. I think there is something like 7 different species. They will not usually eat the larger bubbles but those are easy to remove by hand. The only other critter that I know of that will eat it is a Foxface. I have both a foxface and emerald crabs in both of my tanks. I just went through a small outbreak of it as well. Between the emerald crabs and foxfaces I'm pretty much bubble free.

Gary

[DeAngelove]

BA-
I love my Emerald Crab! Not only has he taken care of my bubble algae problem, he's pretty interesting to watch as well. I know alot of people say they have problems with their Emerald's bothering their corals, but mine has done nothing of the sort. Good luck on getting rid of the bubble algae (just don't pop it!)

~Denise :-)

[alexwolf]

I think it looks kinda cool.

[BA]

yea, me too,alex, i just have heard of it taking over tanks, as for the crab i can't get one i have a HUGE arc-eye hawkfish that takes out any crustecean, i had to wait to find extremely large fire,a dn banded shrimps just so my hawk wouldn't eat them. He in the past has eaten many crabs, especially anemone, and boxer crabs when they fall out of their anemones. plus they were really small, i'll check into getting a foxface, are they completely reef safe???ne1 have one that eats corals??? for now i will take it out, but try to get a foxface to control it in the future, are they hardy?(foxface)

[GaryP]

Foxface's are very reef safe and hardy. They are pretty much vegitereans. Mine can destroy a pretty good sized strip of Nori in nothing flat. They suck it in like sphagetti. They will eat meaty stuff as well. They are very similar to a Tang in their eating habits. They can be pretty shy when you first put them in a tank so don't be surprised if they stay in the LR most of the time at first.

Gary

[Ram_Puppy]

I saw some massive emeralds in a fish store in boerne a month ago, one female was either cleaning eggs out of her pouch, or eating them, not sure... but they were pretty big. (sorry, forgot the name, it's the only one in boerne, and it's on Main over by the police station.

[DeAngelove]

Emeralds are pretty tough too!

Just my two cent$. :-)

~Denise