Fish suggestions?? a nano fish that will graze off live rock?

[estanoche]

So, I really can't think of a good fish to put in my tank that will graze my live rock for detritus, any suggestions?

Here's what I've got - 38 gallon tank, heavily populated with corals, etc.

Crabs, tuxedo urchin, clams, zoas, and detritus that builds up like crazy on my LR - resulting in endless cyclical cyano breakouts - if only I had a fish that nibbled the LR sometimes!!

Current fish residents are a pair of clarkiis, which will be removed and put in a dedicated tank for them and an anemone.. these guys are useless for eating off the rocks! All they do is beg for their food lol

 

[IPisces]

I have the same problem with my 34 gal RSM. I actually broke down and removed the rock when I did a water change and rinsed it real well in the saltwater and scrubbed the surface to get all the cyano and the hair algae off it. I added more flow to the tank. I now have a k2 & a k3 in the tank besides the return pumps. Occupants are a little disturbed by the extra flow, but we'll see if its going to help. I am starting to get a little cyano build up again in some of the deep holes in the rock. I keep blowing it off every couple days. Water parameter is real good. I may be over feeding or I need to go back to turning the flow off during feedings so it doesn't blow the food into the holes in the rock. I don't know about detritus clean up besides blowing the rocks off manually, but I have a Tail Spot Blenny that is supposed to be an algae eater. I think a Lawnmower Blenny(which I think is the same thing as the Sailfin/Algae Blenny) is an okay fish for a small tank. Otherwise for detritus, some types of snails & mini brittle stars and crabs is my best guess to use. And good flow to get it out of the tank.
Any one else have any good suggestions?

 

[baker20]

Algae blenny might work. But I have yet to see one that actually targeted and ate Cyano.

 

[estanoche]

Algae blenny might work. But I have yet to see one that actually targeted and ate Cyano.

yeah - well nothing really eats cyano, but if something picked at the detritus, and ate what was fueling the cyano off my rock that could help

flow only gets you so far in the battle, and the more corals you have, the less effect your flow has on the rockwork!! I have an MP40 - runs at top speed, and a K3 in mine, plus the flow from the skimmer and fuge return, those two clarkis go on some fun rides sometimes!!

 

[IPisces]

Algae blenny might work. But I have yet to see one that actually targeted and ate Cyano.

No, nothing is going to eat or clean up cyano, but if the detritus is cleaned up, hopefully it would alleviate the cyano

 

[leebca]

Snails for the 'hard to reach' areas. But when you do a water change, siphon off the loose debris. You really don't want it building up, waiting for something to come along and 'eat' part of it.

With very good internal (to the DT) circulation, little detritus should build up on the decorations and rock, kept up in the water column so the mechanical filter can remove it.

 

[jrgilles]

I have a rainfordi goby. Awesome fish, it sifts sand and picks at the live rock all day, although its probably eating filamentous algae or maybe small pods. It definately picks at the rock a lot, for what thats worth.

Beautiful and very interesting fish, peaceful and tiny

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

What kind of Mechanical filtration do you have on there Joanne? I'd lean mostly to suspension and good mechanical removal like Lee mentioned. Most anything that eats detritus is going to create some as an afterproduct anyway.

 

[estanoche]

What kind of Mechanical filtration do you have on there Joanne? I'd lean mostly to suspension and good mechanical removal like Lee mentioned. Most anything that eats detritus is going to create some as an afterproduct anyway.

I've got a reef octopus HOB BH300 skimmer, plus a medium CPR HOB fuge, and I run a 24W UV sterilizer sometimes as well.... I believe I am stuck in one of those places where, I don't have enough nitrates to grow macro algae well, but just enough to feed the cyano... and I refuse to use those evil chemicals - haha

'Spose I could clean my skimmer - its been a year or so... but that doesn't fulfill my desire for a new colorful fish!

I had a hector's for a while, but I could never get him to eat prepared foods.... I felt really bad that he wasn't getting good nutrition just hunting pods all day he did pick around on the rocks quite a bit, and Kevin says they pick at cyano a bit, but the not eating prepared foods is kinda a kicker for me...

 

[small alien]

Up your water change schedule dramatically for a while. It works wonders. Try 10% daily for week and see what happens. Good luck. And turkey baster your rocks before each water change.