good algae eater...

dreamreefer · #1 05/10/2005, 03:28 AM

hi guys,

i'm looking for a good algae eater (green hair algae), wondering what you might recommend? it has to be reefsafe tho, i have sps, lps and softies...i hear that rabbit fishes are ferocious algae feeders, wondering if they would do hair algae? please help as my tank is starting to show signs of a major BOOM. I removed my snails because they were knocking my sps frags all over...Thanks.

perky · #2 05/10/2005, 04:44 AM

small turbo snails are good. mine cleaned my tank out in about a week or so. Sailfin tangs are good as well. I have a coral beauty that takes care of any hair algae that appears. it is a hit or miss with members of the centropyge family whether they are reef safe or not though. 75% of the time i think that the centropyge are reef safe.

perky

dreamreefer · #3 05/10/2005, 03:58 PM

thanks Perky...

alphaferret · #4 05/10/2005, 04:02 PM

lawnmower blenny- these lil guys are great & real cool to watch too!

tsquad · #5 05/10/2005, 04:11 PM

I wouldn't recommend an LMB. They are really hit or miss. A simple search would provide some insight on that.

I would recommend a Foxface, depending on your tank size. I just added one to my 135, and within minutes of putting him in the tank, he began eating the algae. I think that Foxface's are the best fish you can put into a reef.

alphaferret · #6 05/10/2005, 04:19 PM

i go by my known experience - not a simple search- i also know 2 friends who have them & we always talk about what a tremendous asset they are.algae eating and sand stirring along the front and back glass( imo)
searches here on rc often turn up info that goes both ways- you must decide which way you want to go
yes foxface would also be a great addition- they are known to be stars of the tank(imo)

tsquad · #7 05/10/2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alphaferret
searches here on rc often turn up info that goes both ways- you must decide which way you want to go

Yup

I've heard from my friends who have reefs their bad experiences with LMBs, so yeah...it can go both ways. Whether you get one or not, good luck

alphaferret · #8 05/10/2005, 04:27 PM

just curious what is a bda lmb experience?

alphaferret · #9 05/10/2005, 04:28 PM

sorry bad LMB experience

tsquad · #10 05/10/2005, 05:30 PM

Well, the LMB did nothing bad. But one would only eat meaty things, and not touch algae, one would starve himself, etc...maybe LMBs are just diverse? I don't know though, since I haven't firsthandedly experienced it. All I know is that my Foxface is a weedwhacker

alphaferret · #11 05/10/2005, 06:24 PM

ya i did hear that foxfaces are great fish -for algae or not

dreamreefer · #12 05/10/2005, 06:52 PM

yeah except that they carry spines that might kill ya

Thanks guys for your input. I'm going to get one of the rabbit fishes (family of foxface), its the one with green, alien looking eyes...

alphaferret · #13 05/10/2005, 07:10 PM

cool

BigDaddy · #14 05/10/2005, 07:21 PM

I have a LMB that loves the stuff and 2 foxfaces that just pick at it.

alphaferret · #15 05/12/2005, 11:30 AM

there thats 2 votees for lmb woooohoooo!

Kelmen · #16 05/13/2005, 05:27 AM

read that foxface can be quite unfriendly

Scoobaman17 · #17 05/13/2005, 04:01 PM

I agree with LMB and not with the foxface. I had an outburst of algea and I got a foxface and within minutes it was eating every coral polyp it could see from sps-soft corals. He was removed from my tank the day he went in.

tsquad · #18 05/13/2005, 04:08 PM

All I've read about Foxface's is that they are completely reefsafe. Mine hasn't touched a single coral, and is very timid; I don't see how this fish could be unfriendly.

Scoobaman17 · #19 05/13/2005, 04:15 PM

Then I must have gotten the runt of the litter because he tore my corals apart. I have no dought that they help. But as with all fish, they could go iether way.

tsquad · #20 05/13/2005, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scoobaman17
But as with all fish, they could go iether way.

Yup. Too bad you got a faulty Foxface

djmuzzi · #21 05/13/2005, 04:52 PM

Best to buy all fish as young as possible... before they aquire tastes for anytrhing "unusual" but as in nature they could still go either way... How big is your tank?

Scoobaman17 · #22 05/13/2005, 05:20 PM

mine is a 75 gallon. Plenty of room for the size I got the fish at, it no bigger then 2 inches. But I still dont have n e thing against them.

Reefvet · #23 05/16/2005, 12:41 AM

I've seen a couple of different fish called a lawnmower blenny. Anyone have the latin name ?

Kelmen · #24 05/16/2005, 03:22 AM

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=23
Salarias fasciatus

Reefvet · #25 05/16/2005, 04:16 AM

Thanks for the link Kelmen, much appreciated.