Best Hair Algae Eaters?

Covey · 08-16-2005, 09:58 AM

All right I have a green hair algae problem. I believe I have solved the cause of the growth. I stopped using natural sunlight, reduced feedings, added a phosphate remover, running the skimmer wetter. This has all stopped the spread of the hair algae but I noticed something. I moved 2 months ago and before the move I had like 25 blue legged hermits. I think I lost many of them in the move. I can't hardy find any of them. So since I need to get more herbivores anyway. I was looking for suggestions on what animals you guys suggest for eating established grown green hair algae?

APC · 08-16-2005, 11:22 AM

I have red leg hermits, astrea snails, mexican turbos and a lawm mower blenny. They have collectively done a great job of keeping all of my algae under control (hair and non hair).

Jason McKenzie · 08-16-2005, 04:05 PM

Sea Hare's mow down hair algea like it's going out of style. A bunch of us in the local scene share 1 and pass it around so it doesn't starve

J

Covey · 08-17-2005, 02:05 PM

Yeah I was thinking a sea hare or a lettuce nudibrach. After commenting about not been able to find my blue-legged hermits. I went upstairs and tired to do a hard count. I tired during the day and could not find a single one! I tired at night with a flashlight and only found four. Now if a only saw half of them that still means I lost like 2/3 of my hermits so I am thinking this algae outbreak is my as much a lost of herbivores as anything else. I never had hair algae problem in the past. Even during the cycle. Here my Herbivore numbers what do you think?
1 lawnmower blennies.
7 Turbo snails
4 Astrea snails
4 blue-legged hermits
I need something that will eat established hair and will be getting more herbivores

Steelers7 · 08-17-2005, 08:05 PM

Will this critters eat brown algae also? I was going to ask the same question, but I have brown algae on my LR and sand.

Bruce · 08-17-2005, 08:11 PM

in my expirence with brown algae you really just need to wait untill it goes away on its own...some things like sand sifting stars and some snails will help it but...nothing really eats it to my knowlege

Covey · 08-29-2005, 12:30 PM

I bought another 30 dwarf blue legged hermits. My herbivore count was way low to begin with. I have took all the step to stop its growth but the algea ins't going away. Not quite to the point of getting a sea hare but I am still thinking about it.

Bruce · 08-29-2005, 01:27 PM

maybe try some mexican turbos, if you get lucky the hair algae doesnt stand a chance

APC · 08-30-2005, 07:09 AM

Plus the mexican turbos are really cool to watch when they get on the glass. It is amaxing to watch them eat!! Grosses my wife out (not to cross threads here and get into the spousal argument discussions going on elsewhere on the board this week), but my daughter and I think it is really cool!

Covey · 08-30-2005, 04:23 PM

My turbos really don't care for the stuff. I am still on for the sea hair or a hair-algea eating Cowrie.