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  #1  
Old 05/16/2005, 10:16 PM
johns johns is offline
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recommend a fish to control macroalgae

My tank is starting to get a bit of macroalgae in it. Not much hair algae, but more small 'leafy' types seem to be popping up more and more. It's not really algae that might be considered totally undesirable, but as my tank is starting to become a predominantly SPS tank, I prefer myself to keep it under control and looking very 'clean'.

So, although I hadn't planned on this, I'm wondering if I should add something to nip at this algae and keep it under control. I've told myself for a while now that I didnt want to get a tang, but I'm starting to think maybe it is my best bet. I dont know if a dwarf angel will work, and I'm afraid it may nip at the dozens of SPS pieces I have now.

I'm leaning towrads a small purple zebrasoma tang. Is this a good choice? Is it a safe bet it will eat up macro? Is there something else I should consider. I'm afraid the tang will get too big, but I'm not sure what else to go for.

My tank is a 75G. other inhabitant (besides countless corals) an oscellaris clown, a bicolor blenny, yellow coris wrasse, black leopard wrasse, tiny neon goby
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  #2  
Old 05/17/2005, 09:37 AM
mwood mwood is offline
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Try a small yellow tang. You may take some macro to the LFS and ask to put it in with the fish you wish to buy to see if he eats.

Marcus
  #3  
Old 05/17/2005, 09:44 AM
johns johns is offline
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Yellow tang is my second choice, only because I don't care for it's color as much as the purple (already have enough yellow in the tank). I like the fact that the yellow stays smaller, but...

What do you think about the purple?

Anything else I could try instead. I had an urchin but had to move it. Got too big and kept nocking things over daily. I hear emerald crabs might work, but then I do searches and find lots of SPS people warning against them. Too much inconsistency.
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  #4  
Old 05/17/2005, 09:49 AM
mwood mwood is offline
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I had a 75 that macro took over. I went through several foxfaces trying to control it without the fox eating the corals. A purple may be a little big, but it may be fine. I loved my Powder Blue. Just take the macro to the LFS and watch whatever fish you buy eat and you'll do fine.
  #5  
Old 05/17/2005, 09:59 AM
johns johns is offline
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Believe me, I'd get a powder blue. But my impression is not as hardy and too big for a 75G. I dont know which is more likely to eat macro, though.

Maybe I should just stick with one that'll be more likely to eat macro. There are actually about 3 different kinds starting to grow. It's likely I'll have the 155G that is sitting next to my current tank set-up within a couple of years, so whatever I buy will wind up in there, hopefully. I dont know how fast these tangs grow though.
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  #6  
Old 05/17/2005, 10:07 AM
mwood mwood is offline
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I've gone through several tangs and foxes. Noone can tell you which kind of fish will eat macro. Foxes and tangs tend to each macro, but you have to check each fish. I've had several that wouldn't touch my calurpa. It's on a fish by fish basis.

Marcus
  #7  
Old 05/17/2005, 10:44 AM
jim.l jim.l is offline
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Both Purple and Yellow Tang's work great, but some(most?) can get mean. I believe that if I were do it again I'd get a sailfin. Imo, both can get big for a 75, but it takes a couple of years and they are easy to find new homes for. Also, lawnmower blenny works all the time on algae and mine seems very peaceful.
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  #8  
Old 05/17/2005, 10:49 AM
mwood mwood is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by jim.l
Both Purple and Yellow Tang's work great, but some(most?) can get mean. I believe that if I were do it again I'd get a sailfin. Imo, both can get big for a 75, but it takes a couple of years and they are easy to find new homes for. Also, lawnmower blenny works all the time on algae and mine seems very peaceful.
Lawnmowers work great on hair algae, but not always on macro.
  #9  
Old 05/17/2005, 10:50 AM
johns johns is offline
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I had a lawnmower that wasted away and died, so I'm not really keen on that. I thought they were mainly for hair algae anyway, and I dont have too much of that.

I dont realy want any aggresssive fish either. I dont know. Maybe I'll leave it alone. Or try an emerald crab or a new small urchin.
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  #10  
Old 05/17/2005, 02:29 PM
brad23 brad23 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by johns
I had a lawnmower that wasted away and died, so I'm not really keen on that. I thought they were mainly for hair algae anyway, and I dont have too much of that.

I dont realy want any aggresssive fish either. I dont know. Maybe I'll leave it alone. Or try an emerald crab or a new small urchin.
My lawnmower wouldn't eat much at all and died after 2 months not a fish I would advise buying for macro eating.
  #11  
Old 05/17/2005, 02:51 PM
jim.l jim.l is offline
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Mine has been in for over a year and is fat as a pig. I have no idea what he's eating because there isn't any algae visible..... maybe he's why! He and my yellow tang are always working around the tank. They also enjoy mysis and dried algae (sea veggies) once or twice a month.
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  #12  
Old 05/18/2005, 12:47 AM
Herbert T. Kornfeld Herbert T. Kornfeld is offline
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Depends on the macro...my yellow tang likes most any micro, and the nicer macros...not the thick cup, grape, and feather caulerpas, or even chaeto...but grassilaria and smaller razor gets taken in heaps. I have seen my tang take small interest in other macros...but not much. My lawnmower blenny or bicolor never touch the stuff...they like shorter and softer stuff. You wanna know what eats my grape algae by the bushel? Some large male emerald crabs. No joke...but you have to get a large clawed male. Mine eat any algae, and I even see them eating flatworms off the glass...but when they get a taste for a certain macro...its over. Mine like to dive into a section of grape caulerpa and pick it by the 'bunch' (like a bushel of grapes), and then just stuff it in their faces and mow it down like a wood-chipper! I was shocked...but its pretty cool. I cant find grape caulerpa in my tank any more, and they are about to whipe out the cup stuff as well.
  #13  
Old 05/18/2005, 12:53 AM
johns johns is offline
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Herbert-

Do you have SPS? Does your emerald pick on the SPS? I've been wanting to try an emerald or 2, but afraid what they might do.

Are they easy enough to catch if they start messing around too much.
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  #14  
Old 05/18/2005, 02:51 AM
Herbert T. Kornfeld Herbert T. Kornfeld is offline
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Not too hard to catch...not the fastest things... I do have SPS...and I havent noticed them picking at the SPS, or zoos, or xenia, or clams, or LPS...just red flatworms and grape macro! Perhaps they do mess with my SPS, but I think my tank has too many for them to make an impact...I have over 40 kinds.
 

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