What fish to add to help control algae??

howdy20012002 · #1 03-28-2008, 06:14 AM

I have finally got my 180 up and running and want some advice.
Being that my triggers pretty much eat anything that moves, I need some advice on what fish I can add into an agressive tank that will eat algae.
My other aggressive tank has HUGE algae issues because everything I put in to eat the algae in turn gets eaten by the triggers.
thanks in advance.
Neal

Der_Iron_Chef · #2 03-28-2008, 06:32 AM

What type of algaes?

Some Tangs and Rabbitfish are generally known to consume algae. I guess it depends what type....

howdy20012002 · #3 03-28-2008, 07:12 AM

just the stupid hair algae.
I am definitely going to add a couple of tangs.
how would rabbit fish be with aggressive fish?
are there bigger species of rabbit fish??

Waxx · #4 03-28-2008, 04:25 PM

Check your Po4 levels. 9 times out of 10 you can fix your algae problems by getting phosphates under control. Adding a fish is more of a temporary solutions, you need to get to the root of the problem.

untamed · #5 03-28-2008, 04:26 PM

Yes, some of the rabbitfish get large enough that I would imagine they wouldn't be eaten by triggers. My rabbitfish likes to eat hair algae more so than my Tangs.

Here's another idea that might help. If you can, setup a refugium, light it 24/7 and let the hair algae grow there. Works very well for me!

Oh yes...my sea hare liked to eat hair algae (when I had hair algae). I'm sure the triggers won't eat a sea hare.

michika · #6 03-28-2008, 05:32 PM

My longspine urchin eats GHA. I also had a foxface that did the same.

ElGuappo · #7 03-28-2008, 05:35 PM

I have found that my rusty angel nibbles on algae once in a while. but its a pygmy angel and would propably be food in your tank.

globaldesigns · #8 03-30-2008, 03:06 AM

I have a sailfin (lawnmower) blenny for the algae on the rocks, but use a yellow head goby for the sifting of the sand, plus an emerald crab and some other cleaning crew. I never have to clean anything but sometimes the glass.

niloc16 · #9 03-30-2008, 04:28 AM

not from personally experience but i've seen wicked responses to the use of freshwater mollys for hair algae. acclimate them very slow and they go crazy on it. but like others have said there is something that is fueling it and adding a fish is only a band-aid not the solution

Pan · #10 03-30-2008, 05:12 AM

I have heard good things about rabbit fishes and excess algae...but i never had a lot in the tanks with them in it. But i read an article backing it up in reefkeeping magazine...