Green Hair Algae

[forde_11]

I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion for critters that work best for controlling green hair algae. I was thinking a blenny of some kind and some blue leg hermit crabs. Any other ideas?? All my tanks details are below.

[hockey nut]

blue tuxido urchin and a sea hair will work. I was also told a lettuce nudibranch will work too. Double check that though.

HTH

[danny zubot]

Or a lawnmower blennie. Various snails will also help.

[OCDP]

I vote for sea hare.. I had some bad hair algae and my sea hare got rid of it all.... I'd try one of those first.. JMO.

[danny zubot]

IMO lawnmower blennie's are a better investment. After the algea is gone a sea hare could starve to death, while a lawnmower will tend to eat the same foods as other fish in the tank. Plus they're more exiting to watch.

[Psyire]

If you don't have an RO/DI unit, it's a good investment as well.

[OCDP]

I have never heard of too many success stories with Lawnmower Blennies and hair algae, and them getting rid of it all. I guess depending on how much hair algae you have he may or may not go after it.

You can always sell your sea hare afterwards or lend him out, etc...

[forde_11]

I always wanted a bicolour blenny because to be honest they are a lot more visually apealing, will these have the same effect as a lawnmower blenny? Thanks for all the advice so far, and please keep it coming.

[OCDP]

A bicolor blenny will not touch your hair algae.. I have had 2 and neither of them went near it... but they are not known to eat hair algae.

[forde_11]

I read somewhere that sea hairs are hard to keep is that true?

[Chaloupa]

I've had 2 sea hares now and both I lost within a very short span of getting them..... I didn't find them easy to keep...but anything to get rid of that nasty stuff....good luck, and if you find a sure thing let me know! I also have a Bi color and a lawnmower....the lawnmower checks it out but hasn't done much, the Bi color doesn't bother with it...

[Biotech]

I tried both sea hares and lawnmower blenny. Sea hares do not last long. Both died within a month or so. As for the lawnmower blenny, I did not have a chance to see if it works as my open brain took it for dinner. I came back one evening and found the tail part of the blenny sticking out from the open-brain's mouth :frown:

I found Chem-Marin for Hair algae (got it from Big Als) worked well.

[OCDP]

I've had one sea hare and it lived for quite some time.. now it was my fault that it didn't live longer... got stuck in the powerhead intake. :eek:

Yes I know... stupid me hah... but when I did have it, it went through hair algae like there's no tomorrow. I plan on picking another up very soon as they just seem to keep the tank spotless.

[hockey nut]

I have a sea hair given to me by willow after he used him. I had him for 2 months then lent him out for a month or so and now I have him back again. No probs keeping him at all. They do a good job on the hair algea. And when you run out of hair algea just weight down some nori and they will eat that.

hth

[Diana]

These things work on hair algae, but will they eat macro algae?

I'm also looking for something to get rid of the hair, but i dont want it to eat my strange and unusual macro i have growing on some excellent peices of live rock. I have lots of hair growing on my sand, which is the biggest PITA.

I would try a type of nudibranch. Sea hares too if they were so friggin ugly.


-Diana

[hockey nut]

No they won't eat your macro algea. I have 3 different types of macro and no probs. IME

I never noticed that they were ugly. lol. jk. His nickname is Mr. Snotty

some urchins work well too.