badkharma
Member
Well, actually, a lot of LMB's in captivity don't eat hair algae. Mine doesn't (but then again, my water quality doesn't allow it, and I have so much coraline it can't grow anywhere) - and my LFS's doesn't either (in show tank). Many will eat it though, so your chances with one are still pretty good. And if it doesn't, you have an awesome fish anyway. 
As for it being evil - it's quite opposite. What do you expect when you have any fish with a seahorse? A seahorse needs to be in a peaceful, dedicated tank by itself. Another bet you might try, that with a 55 gallon is controversial, but it worked for one of my coworkers in his 120, is a juvenile sailfin tang. My coworker had red hair algae, green hair algae, you name it, it was there. He bought a small sailfin, and ALL the hair algae was gone in a weeks worth of grazing, even the red hair algae. A juvi sailfin will do fine in a 55 gallon, but in a year's time will outgrow your tank, so if you get one, don't get attached unless you have plans for a larger tank.
As for it being evil - it's quite opposite. What do you expect when you have any fish with a seahorse? A seahorse needs to be in a peaceful, dedicated tank by itself. Another bet you might try, that with a 55 gallon is controversial, but it worked for one of my coworkers in his 120, is a juvenile sailfin tang. My coworker had red hair algae, green hair algae, you name it, it was there. He bought a small sailfin, and ALL the hair algae was gone in a weeks worth of grazing, even the red hair algae. A juvi sailfin will do fine in a 55 gallon, but in a year's time will outgrow your tank, so if you get one, don't get attached unless you have plans for a larger tank.