good herbavore for nano tank

[nitrofish]

what small reef safe fish would work well at eating some hair alge in my 10 gallon tank?

 

[stevenp]

Jeff,

I aksed the same question a while back on multiple discussion boards. There were'nt too many replies. I did some research and found that either a Red Sea Mimic Blenny or a Red Lip Belnny should do the trick although the Red Lip Blenny was a minimum 20 gallon per the 'Fish Book'.

I don't recall seeing much under the 20 gallon volume. However, the Red Sea Mimic Blenny is adaptable to a 10 gallon aquarium (per the good doctors reccomendation) and appears to be the least territorial and most peacful herbivore I've found. Hard to find though... Liveaquaria dot com has some coming in soon, I already put my name on the waiting list. See link below.

Beacon aquarium is currently trying to find one of these for me. You could drop Lourdes a PM and see what the status is.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1960

Steve

 

[AbbeyRoad]

I believe AA has one in stock. I saw one real quick Fri night. Didnt get a good look so could possible be the original and not the mimic, but i believe it had the swim pattern of the mimic. Give them a call
HTH,
Abbey

 

[stevenp]

Abbey,
I heard that the original can cause problems. From what I've read, especially for a nano, you definately want the mimic. I could be wrong though?

Steve

 

[AbbeyRoad]

i believe the fang tooth that the red sea mimics isnt an herbavore, so yeah it wouldnt be the fish he wants for this situation. The mimic is super cute and a good fish. SherryQ has one in her 40. It kisses the glass- leaving lip marks in the algea and now is eating everything (mysis etc). It basicly hangs out in or around one spot near his home, a shell.

Only problem i have heard about the mimic is that they may nip at polyps/softies. I think they are kind of like dwarf angels- hit or miss.

 

[NateHanson]

I'd say turbo snails.

Or what about a small Lawn Mower Blenny?

 

[jango]

I have had very good luck with Astrea Snail's for hair algae control.

 

[nitrofish]

I'd say turbo snails.

Or what about a small Lawn Mower Blenny?

thought about that, but is a 10 gallon too small?

 

[NateHanson]

In the end it would get to big, but if you got a small one it would probably stay small for a while in that size tank. It would use up a fair amount of your available bioload though, so it would have to be a fish you like. Personally I think they're cool looking and neat behavior.

Anyways, don't you have a 180g you can throw him in when he grows up!

 

[nitrofish]

In the end it would get to big, but if you got a small one it would probably stay small for a while in that size tank. It would use up a fair amount of your available bioload though, so it would have to be a fish you like. Personally I think they're cool looking and neat behavior.

Anyways, don't you have a 180g you can throw him in when he grows up!

true, but how fast do they grow?

got a clownfish today, they are listed as omnivores, so maybe it will munch some greens, if not at least its a nice colorfull fish.

 

[NateHanson]

I can't really say. I've had one for a couple months, and he hasn't grown perceptibly. Probably normal growers.

I wouldn't hold your breath on the clown. I've never heard of one eating algae.

 

[Nikkoli110]

I know you said fish, but I have seen my emerald crabs eating hair algae, (in fact, most algae) in my tank. I am going to soon be transfering one over from my 29 into my little 5 gallon nano for a little while to take care of some hair algae and a few little bubble algae's that have come up in the tank.