Will Lawnmower Benny eat diatoms?

[dragonboy]

Planning to get more clean up crew will the Lawnmower Benny help eat the diatoms?

 

[alison]

Hi, I know this is a stupid question, but diatom is algae right? If it is, lmb's are GREAT for hairline and the algae on the glass. They have great antics too. Good luck, highly recommend getting one for a reef., ali

 

[dragonboy]

Well I need something to eat off the diatoms on the sand and I was wondering if Benny's eat diatoms algae cause some fish eat certain algae. If not then I'll just get a conch to eat it off the sand.

 

[bang guy]

Diatoms are the staple food for LMB's. They need quite a bit of it just to survive. So, YEP! they will eat Diatoms.
Cerith Snails will help with Sand Bed Diatoms too.
Bang

 

[badkharma]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Diatoms are the staple food for LMB's. They need quite a bit of it just to survive. So, YEP! they will eat Diatoms.
Cerith Snails will help with Sand Bed Diatoms too.
Bang
What? Really? I have never heard of a LMB eating brown diatom algae. It didn't touch my diatoms....I thought their staple food was hair algae. I think a fighting conch would be a good (read: cheaper) bet.

 

[clarkiiboi]

Well that got me confused. I have had LMB's, with small amounts of diatoms. I did not see either eat that. I never seen them clean the sandbed. On the glass and/or rocks, yes. Hair algea,yes. Sandbed, nope. Just my experience, I wish my 2 would of.

 

[crm13]

:yes: When my tank went through the brown algae "cycle," my lawnmower blenny used to eat it quite a bit. In fact, it was comical actually to see him take on the direct current from one of my powerheads just to get to where it was built up on the attachment that directs the water flow. He'd swim like a madman straight into the current, chomp what he can, and then let the current blow him back. He'd rear up and do it again.:notsure: :joy:

 

[ronwar]

Thats funny, mine likes the current to.

 

[judyk]

Get the conch. They do wonders on the sand. Mine did such a great job, I'm afraid of it starving. They are really neat to watch. I would only get one though, even though they say more per size of tank.
Judy