Need a hair algae eater

[crabsrkewl]

What's a good hair algae eater? Yup that's it

 

[prime311]

Sea hare

 

[florida joe]

If you are going with sea hares (I am awaiting the arrival of mine) from what I read they are best kept in multiples

 

[shinobi9119]

turbos?

 

[florida joe]

like bringing a knife to a gun fight IMO

 

[alexmir]

I agree joe, my turbos do NOTHING to the hair algea

 

[mr_x]

a long spined urchin will eat anything.

 

[koesterkep]

Algae Blenny aka Lawnmower Blenny. Does a remarkable job.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2669913
a long spined urchin will eat anything.
they are good but they will eat coriline

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by koesterkep
http:///forum/post/2669930
Algae Blenny aka Lawnmower Blenny. Does a remarkable job.
they are also good but only if they are compatable with your other live stock

 

[prime311]

I'm pretty sure you would need like a 300+ Gallon tank to support multiple sea hares.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by prime311
http:///forum/post/2670602
I'm pretty sure you would need like a 300+ Gallon tank to support multiple sea hares.
why would you think that

 

[tlarkin]

Originally Posted by koesterkep
http:///forum/post/2669930
Algae Blenny aka Lawnmower Blenny. Does a remarkable job.

Not necessarily. My lawnmower doesnt touch hair algae. He spends most of his time cleaning the glass

 

[mr_x]

Originally Posted by tlarkin
http:///forum/post/2671326
Not necessarily. My lawnmower doesnt touch hair algae. He spends most of his time cleaning the glass
+1
my LMB doesn't touch hair algae either. as a matter of fact, i haven't found a creature that does, except the long spined urchin, which like Fla Joe says, will eat anything and EVERYTHING.
i've never seen one eat corals, but i've seen a tank that housed one, and the LR looked like base rock. not a living thing on it except bacteria.

 

[prime311]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2670621
why would you think that

The local reefers here sometimes get a Sea Hare and trade him around once he's cleaned the current owners tank out. Otherwise the Hare would end up starving to death. My Hermit Crabs clean off Hair Algae, not sure if they do that fror everyone but I had a rock that started accumulating a bit of hair algae and now half of its been picked clean.

 

[florida joe]

Sea hairs are voracious eaters of hair algae. The problem arises after all the hair algae is eaten. Also their life span in captivity is not very long. My point about keeping multiple comes from research that states that they tend do better in groups. And tend to congregate which is unusual for a lower life form. The general rule is one for every 20g if there is sufficient food available

 

[prime311]

I guess my point was that I don't know how anything but a very large tank could keep enough algae growth to sustain a single sea hare, much less multiple. Thats all I was thinking anyway.

 

[privatejoker]

Rabbitfish will eat it if you cut it down first, mexican turbos are great for hair algae.

 

[florida joe]

Turbos are good if you get it under control first. Once hair algae gets a foot hold in your tank its rate of growth will be greater then just turbos alone can handle IMO

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2673512
Turbos are good if you get it under control first. Once hair algae gets a foot hold in your tank its rate of growth will be greater then just turbos alone can handle IMO
I agree here. Turbos will certainly help but they cannot handle it alone.