Eating algae

[Javisheppard]

What would be the best fish or invertebrate that well eat green long hair alae? Because my tank has alot of it on the Sand bed and it is still spreding. I recently bought a star blenny to try and solve the problem but he only seems to like the algae growing on the glass

[Scream311]

Hey Javier !

Try a sea hare, a kole tang or lavender, mollie miller or lawnmower blennie, or even some black mollies

Good luck. I'm battling Bryopsis myself :-/

[Europhyllia]

You. You are your best herbivore. They all just seem to meander about and not get down to business. I found if I want it done right, I need to do it myself.
And in fact critters that might reject it while it's long and stringy might have a nibble once it's pruned back.

[StevenSeas]

Your starry blenny is a combtooth blenny the same as a lawnmower so it should eat most green filamentous algae. As Karin said shortening it to under an inch if not 1/2 inch usually makes it more appealing I have found. Also I have found what helps a lot is that you reduce tank feedings by a good portion, until it seems to be under control, it seems to help. My thoughts are it has a 2 fold effect.

1) helps to limit its growth by lack of nutrients

2) The fish whom are natural foragers and have done so previously to survive in the wild will no longer be getting food dropped in from above. This means they go hungry and will revert back to what they know and that is foraging for their natural food, in this case filamentous algae.

[Kristy]

Agree with Karin on this. But if you should choose to try a sea hare in combination with pruning, check out Mr. Cob's sea hare sharing program. Sign up to be next in line bc that guy is going to need a continuous supply of hair algae!

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?65265-Oscar-the-sea-hare-is-going-on-an-adventure...&highlight=Oscar

[Javisheppard]

Thanks! I'm going to try cutting the algae down to size and if that doesn't work more than likely I'll sign up for the sea hare. To cut the algae do I just take a pair of sissors to it. Or is there some method?

[Regric25]

Im my opinion like mentioned above cut it back maybe get a sea hare but do you research on them before you get one. They will quicky go through your hair algae and then you will have to find it a new home right after that so it does not die and muck up your tank.

once you get rid of the algae by pruning it back you also want to try to fix the cause for the hair algae. Where are your nitrates, phosphates at? How often do you feed? Sometimes its unexplainabe why algae will thrive under certain conditions. I have or just sold my tank that was considered a low nutrient tank. My phosphates and nitrates red 0 but out of no where a small patch popped up out of no where. It didnt last long and quickly ded back. I have a friend who had a HUGE outbreak of all types of algae but he pretty much never fed his tank and everything read 0 also and still he had all different types of algae thriving in his tank.

This is just my 0.02. Hope this helps good luck to you. :)

[kkiel02]

What size tank are we talking?

[Javisheppard]

55 gallon

[Europhyllia]

I use the Melev method for algae removal: cup of freshwater to rinse your fingers in/drop the algae in and just pinch off a bunch close to the rock. If it was in the substrate I'd pull it out. Turn off your powerheads for this and it will be less likely that anything gets blown away as you rip it out.