What fish would graze on my grape caulpera?

[delemi]

I've ended up with some live rocks that had a colony of grapy caulpera on them - Does anyone have a suggestion on fish that would be a good grazer for this to help keep it in check? I'm kinda getting sick of grooming it and watching it grow all through my corals

 

[jake65]

If there isnt any coral growing on the rock it would be possible to pull it out and scrape off as much as possible

 

[MCSInc]

The best answer that I can come up with is a rabbit fish. Many people get the fox face but there are several different looks to chose from. They are grazers only so they are not agressive to anyone. One problem is they will clean the tank of greens and then you have to feed them some sort of greens or they will starve. They also grow quickly.

Good luck getting the greens under control.

Candy

 

[balogh03]

What size the tank is probably depends on what fish to get. If the tank is large enough, you can probably go with most tangs or a rabbit fish.
good luck

-augustus

 

[delemi]

Thanks for the responses - The tank is only my 40 gal QT tank - But I suppose whatever fish I get can graduate to the 100 gal once he outgrows the little one and eats all those greens for me

 

[leebca]

In general, a quarantine tank doesn't have live rock in it, so the algae shouldn't be a problem when you're ready to perform a quarantine process -- just remove it and the live rock.

 

[Grey Legion]

Sorry to jump on the thread but I am also looking for a good grazer I need something to eat grape, hair algae and fern algae <-- don't knwo the real name but it looks like fern leaves and grows like mad !?!

I am thinking of a small tang and then move him to a better suited fish only tank, any other idea's my tank is a 35G and the LR cannot be pulled out..

Thanks

 

[leebca]

I couldn't/wouldn't suggest any of the herbivore fishes for that sized tank, even though there is a good intention of 'moving it later.' A space stressed fish isn't compensated for by relocating later. A space stressed fish loses lifespan and health which isn't 'made up' later. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the problem.

Have you tried to starve the unwanted algae? Reducing phosphates, metals, and nitrates usually does the trick. Trying to reduce light is not practical since the plants will adjust to even low or infrequent light conditions.

Once the nutrients are addressed, physically remove as much as you can, cropping it down to the lowest/shortest level, and introduce a herd of algae-eating snails. Some snails will eat the hair and that feater/fern algae IF it is cropped very low, but not after it has grown long.

A small hang-on refugium can also complete the attack by creating competition for the unwanted algae by taking up the small amount of nitrates and phosphates that may still be available. The refugium would be stocked with macro algae that is easier to control.

 

[NaH2O]

Grey - I would address the nutrients in the tank. What are you using for filtration? How are your water parameters? Do you have any corals in the tank? If not, then you may even consider turning the lights off for awhile. Give us more information on your tank: water parameters, inhabitants, substrate, skimmer, feeding schedule, water change schedule, equipment. Why can't the live rock be pulled out? Manual removal outside the tank may be a good route to get the algae down to a managable length for inverts that eat it.

 

[Grey Legion]

Ok I'll list as much as I can remember..(at work)
setup date Oct 24 2006
35G (no sump)
HOB fuge (aqua clear with light source and cheato)
45+ pounds of LR (from mature tank)
Shallow sand bed (1 inch) (from mature tank)
Jebo 180 skimmer ( yes I know but it was $30.00 and it actually works )
change 5 gallons a week with aged SW made from r/o and kept at 80F

Livestock ( feed every two days )

2 clowns
3 pep shrimp
1 conch
15 nassarius vibex
11 trochus (sp?)
few hitchhiker snails

coral

leather
zoo's
mushrooms

lighting T5's NO

10 hours a day (fuge comes on at night)
84 watts 10K
42 watts Atinic


The stuff I call fern algae looks more like a plant, very fast growing
I use only R/O water ( not tested for TDS )
I use Deep ocean salt ( made by coralife )
ammonia 0 , nitrite, 0 have no phosphate test, calcium is good ( can't remember # )
salinity 1.026 - 1.027
temp 80F ( does not change )

I pull out as much as I can once/twice a week the plant stuff is tough when it grows on rocks, the hair algae seems to be fading but I want it GONE !!

I fully understand not putting large fish in a small tank and won't argue that point at all, any smaller fish, I heard about a lawnmower blennie, any info on them ??

as long as it eats green I am happy..

 

[leebca]

That tank has a bio-load capability of what I call about 6 units. You don't mention the kind of Anemonefish you have, but the smallest species would each put a bio-load of 3 each on the system for a total bio-load of 6 units. The snails and shrimp are in excess of the bio-load of the system. That is, the aquarium is beyond its 'comfortable' stock now. Adding any fish (e.g., the blenny) would be a severe overstocking.

The Anemonefish should eat/be fed two or three times a day and be offered an omnivore diet.

The chaeto is already effectively competing with the hair and the hair seems to be withdrawing. . .slowly.

You want to go ahead and test for phosphates. You have an extra "0" in the list of test results. Is that for nitrate? I would not be surprised to have a 0 reading for nitrates -- all the plants are taking it up.

The overstocked aquarium is producing too much nitrates for the live rock to process. The excess is going towards feeding the nuisance algae.

If it were mine I would:
1. Remove the conch. It really should be in an aquarium of no less than 8 square feet of substrate surface.
2. Remove one Anemonefish.
3. Feed the fish a different regime.
4. Increase the live rock to 70 pounds. (NOTE: The old live rock may be 'wearing out' and not handling nitrates as it should. If it is more than about 8 years old, it should be replaced.) Regarding live rock, you may wish to read: http://www.reefland.com/forum/marin...se-treatment/19180-what-live-rock-anyway.html

In the wild, a pair of A. ocellaris will command a territory of about 7 cubic feet of ocean space. After you take away the space given to the substrate and live rock and any other inside equipment, a 35 gallon isn't the best choice. If you'd like to keep a pair of Anemonefish it is usually best to choose no less than a 45 gallon aquarium with no other fish in it.

 

[NaH2O]

Does the fern algae look like Bryopsis or more like a feathery caulerpa?

Bryopsis:

If it's bryopsis, then it can be difficult to irradicate. There aren't many things that like to eat it. When you are manually removing it, are you siphoning while you pull? There is the chance you are spreading it more. Something else to keep in mind....your tank is on the young side, and it will go through algae cycles before it reaches maturity. Blast off your live rock with a powerhead or turkey baster to help free up detritus. If you get the length of the algae short, then you could always try a small urchin, but these too, can get too large for a tank this size (along with knocking things down). I had a small collector urchin in my 120 gallon that started out about the size of a quarter. It is now the size of a raquetball.

Lawnmower blennies can be fine, however, most of the time once the algae is gone, then the blenny starves to death. Make sure it is eating prior to introduction, or train it to eat while in quarantine.

Hope this helps.

 

[Grey Legion]

That tank has a bio-load capability of what I call about 6 units. You don't mention the kind of Anemonefish you have, but the smallest species would each put a bio-load of 3 each on the system for a total bio-load of 6 units. The snails and shrimp are in excess of the bio-load of the system. That is, the aquarium is beyond its 'comfortable' stock now. Adding any fish (e.g., the blenny) would be a severe overstocking.

The Anemonefish should eat/be fed two or three times a day and be offered an omnivore diet.

The chaeto is already effectively competing with the hair and the hair seems to be withdrawing. . .slowly.

You want to go ahead and test for phosphates. You have an extra "0" in the list of test results. Is that for nitrate? I would not be surprised to have a 0 reading for nitrates -- all the plants are taking it up.

The overstocked aquarium is producing too much nitrates for the live rock to process. The excess is going towards feeding the nuisance algae.

If it were mine I would:
1. Remove the conch. It really should be in an aquarium of no less than 8 square feet of substrate surface.
2. Remove one Anemonefish.
3. Feed the fish a different regime.
4. Increase the live rock to 70 pounds. (NOTE: The old live rock may be 'wearing out' and not handling nitrates as it should. If it is more than about 8 years old, it should be replaced.) Regarding live rock, you may wish to read: http://www.reefland.com/forum/marin...se-treatment/19180-what-live-rock-anyway.html

In the wild, a pair of A. ocellaris will command a territory of about 7 cubic feet of ocean space. After you take away the space given to the substrate and live rock and any other inside equipment, a 35 gallon isn't the best choice. If you'd like to keep a pair of Anemonefish it is usually best to choose no less than a 45 gallon aquarium with no other fish in it.

Thanks for that reply, sadly not the news I wanted to hear but maybe that is in part to my lack of info.

The Clowns are Amphiprion ocellaris and I would hate to split them up, they are still very small 1/2 - 1 inch

My conch is a orange lipped conch and is doing very well and enjoying life I can assure you. I have no place to move him as my other SW tank is glass bottom.

I could however reduce the number of trochus snails if needed.

If indeed my tank is overstocked.

I actually don't want to add any more livestock if I can help it just maybe one more species of soft coral and I'm all set I also plan on upgrading the skimmer. The LR is between 1 - 3 years old ( in tank ) so I hope it is still ok adding more rock would be a real pain as I already have the tank set to allow the maximum amount of open sand for the snails and conch..

Sorry to sound like I am disagreeing with you that is not my intent as all I you advise though not followed (at this time) is indeed noted..

 

[Grey Legion]

Does the fern algae look like Bryopsis or more like a feathery caulerpa?

Bryopsis:

If it's bryopsis, then it can be difficult to irradicate. There aren't many things that like to eat it. When you are manually removing it, are you siphoning while you pull? There is the chance you are spreading it more. Something else to keep in mind....your tank is on the young side, and it will go through algae cycles before it reaches maturity. Blast off your live rock with a powerhead or turkey baster to help free up detritus. If you get the length of the algae short, then you could always try a small urchin, but these too, can get too large for a tank this size (along with knocking things down). I had a small collector urchin in my 120 gallon that started out about the size of a quarter. It is now the size of a raquetball.

Lawnmower blennies can be fine, however, most of the time once the algae is gone, then the blenny starves to death. Make sure it is eating prior to introduction, or train it to eat while in quarantine.

Hope this helps.

That looks like it, I only pull the stuff in the sand so it comes out complete, when I pull the stuff growing on the rocks I use a siphon to get as much out as I can..

Thanks for giving me the name !!

 

[leebca]

Sorry to sound like I am disagreeing with you that is not my intent as all I you advise though not followed (at this time) is indeed noted..

No worries Grey! I'm afraid you'll find in the long run that you'll be having little nagging problems with the system and controlling it. Just keep in mind I mentioned it was over stocked and under rocked.

For conch information, you may want to read:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rs/index.htm

Good luck!