Best algea eating snail?

Tarolisol · #1 08-05-2006, 05:32 AM

Well ive been lacking on this site latly and my tank has come under a slight algea attack due to a broken oceanmotions that was left undetected for over a month. Well the oceans motions was a somewhat east fix, im not looking for a good way to rid my tank of the algea that has accumulated as a byproduct of the lack of water movment. So i think some extra snails will be a welcome addition to my tank... but what ones? I belive the algea is just the typical turf algea. I only have a handful of large turbos at the moment and they seem to stay on the glass. So whats my best method of attack, and dont say reach in there and tear it all out with my hands :P

krisalexander · #2 08-05-2006, 05:35 AM

I have some astrea snails. they are tiny but they work...and margirita snails..i just had a algae outbreak my self with the full cycling of the tank..and they took care of it..

saltwatermaniac · #3 08-05-2006, 05:38 AM

I have had a major algae breakout and the snails i used were mexican turbos which will have it cleaned up within a few days or less.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #4 08-05-2006, 08:30 AM

I have several different types of snails. I've been running an expt with one reef tank full of snails (turbos, astrea, etc) and one that has tangs. The snails tank has the back glass covered with hair algae & the other tank is spotless. I think I'll be getting another tang for algae control (I'm also a fish nut, not a snail nut).

Anthony

Tarolisol · #5 08-05-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

I have several different types of snails. I've been running an expt with one reef tank full of snails (turbos, astrea, etc) and one that has tangs. The snails tank has the back glass covered with hair algae & the other tank is spotless. I think I'll be getting another tang for algae control (I'm also a fish nut, not a snail nut).

Anthony

I agree fish are a bit nicer to look at then snails. My yellow tang its the algea pretty well but theres only so much he can do, ill have another tang coming in a few days, maybe that will help.

My snails keep my glass pretty clean but theres only 5 or so turbos, ive never seen a snail on the rocks yet. Ive heard astreas so maybe ill try some of those. Thats if i can find some

reeferaddict · #6 08-05-2006, 07:48 PM

I'm actually a little surprised at how few clean up crew the respondents so far seem to keep. I must have close to 75 snails... 10 quite large Turbos, 30 or so Astreas, 7 sand sifting snails, 4 rock snails, and at least a couple of dozen Ceriths that I can recall off hand... they all seem to go everywhere, though the Ceriths hide in the sand until the lights go out. Sometimes keeping corals in place is a challenge, but epoxy helps. I'll not forget to mention I also have dozens and dozens of hermit crabs and other detrivores to keep things clean. My recent bout with hair algae was more about high nitrates & an old test kit, I could only imagine how quickly the tank would have been overgrown without these guys on constant patrol! Oh yeah... my mini Tang school keeps most surface algae in check too...

revgeoff · #7 08-05-2006, 09:13 PM

On the fish front...my lawnmower blenny used to do a great job until he became fat and lazy.
Have you ever tried a Sea Hare?

Farrmanchu · #8 08-06-2006, 02:45 AM

If you wanna get a super fast grazer, and will spend the $, Trochus snails are best IMO. They move many times faster than an Astrea, and they look really nice.

Skimmerking · #9 08-06-2006, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farrmanchu

If you wanna get a super fast grazer, and will spend the $, Trochus snails are best IMO. They move many times faster than an Astrea, and they look really nice.

yes the trochus are great so is My Kole Tang is you have the space to put him. ANd since you have a yellow, they work together if you didnt know that . I saw the video on sea turtles and the 2 fish that swam with them to keep the algae off their shells were the kole tang and the yellow tang .. mine you Im not saying tha they would not fight. But you do have a big ger tank. Mine cleans the algae off the rocks and the tank He just started to eat the turf algae too.

Tarolisol · #10 08-06-2006, 03:50 AM

A kole tang you say, i guess ill have to look into that, and trochus snails. I think my main problem right now is lack of supply, calgary is lacking at the moment, Hidden reef has informed me they are getting in a large shipment so i think i'll see if they get in any trochus and order some. Also I think a lawn mower blenny may work to keep my sand a little cleaner as well.

Although does anyone know if blenny fish with eachother as i have a Bi color blenny