Naso tang, rabbitfish or sea hare?

[fishytime]

I am having a dilemma(to me anyway).I currently have mad crazy amounts of dictyota algae and brown wafer algae in the display. I take full responsibility for the problem as in an attempt to keep everything well fed I have created a nutrient rich environment. Also my dkh has been low(6) and I have slowly got it back up to where it needs to be. Snappy was over yesterday and IDed(thanks again Greg) the algae and informed me that a naso would probably gobble its way through the dictyota and wafer algae. So this got me reading and I also found that rabbitfish will also eat these types of algae. My tank already has two tangs(yellow and regal) and most will say (and I will agree) that I am overstocked as it is. I am afraid of adding another large poop machine to the mix, not just because of the added bio-load, but I would be nervous of the reception that a new tang would receive. My tank is also not really big enough for a naso (long term), although there are some 3" net caught blonde nasos at the store right now. Also at store are some wee small 2" doliatus rabbitfish(we think).... problem with them is, also a large poop machine and are known to munch zoas....and that simply will not do. Ok....then theres a sea hare... probably not quite the bio-load as a naso or rabbitfish, but butt ugly (to me) and has the potential to nuke the tank.

What would you all do?

[Alberta-newb]

Not sure if this helps, but check out: http://saltcorner.com/sections/guest/algaepage/algaepage.htm

Great page for IDing algaes of all types and possible biological controls. The dictyota algaes are listed as #17, and according to the control section the rabbitfishes they list don't work (doliatus not listed though). The naso tangs are the only tangs cited for #17, as well as mithrax crabs and diadema urchin. Sea hare not cited for dictyota either.

Sounds like a tough one to control:sad:

Francis

[Myka]

I had Dictoyota and Sargassum real bad in my tank when I left it to the tank sitter once. I found with manual plucking (siphon it because those little pieces make new clumps!!), and getting the nutrients under control is wasn't an issue for very long.

[fishytime]

Thanks for the great link Francis. Sounds like the naso is the best option as it eats both of my problems.....but creates others....hmmmm.

[fishytime]

I had Dictoyota and Sargassum real bad in my tank when I left it to the tank sitter once. I found with manual plucking (siphon it because those little pieces make new clumps!!), and getting the nutrients under control is wasn't an issue for very long.

As I admitted earlier I have a large fish load on the system and the only two fish I would be willing to remove are small and probably add very little to the bio-load(in the grand scheme of things). I have been manually pruning for a couple months now and just yesterday I siphoned out a small filter sock full of the stuff.:surprise:

[michika]

Do that naso and I'll take it off your hands afterwards. Send you a PM.

[Myka]

If your tank is already overstocked (or pushing it), I don't think adding another large fish will solve your problems especially if (as you say) something like a Naso would only be semi-permanent. Selling one of your larger fish would probably be the best (and easiest) thing you could do. I know that's difficult to do, but I think in the end you would be happier. No one ever takes that kind of advice though. Sorry, I'm a really logical person, so to me the answer is simple. Or...upgrade!!!! :lol:

[michika]

I highly doubt that the bioload is contributing. I think the algae has just established itself due to overfeeding like Doug mentioned. Since he's got everything else under control now, its just a matter of cleaning up the left over algae. You have a couple of options, 1) manual removal - PITA, 2) letting it dissapate naturally - bad idea in the making 3) biological removal - sorta of simple.

I'd avoid the hare, they seem to be quite picky on what they want to eat, frequently eating some algae and leaving others. Same goes for rabbitfish.

[Myka]

You're biased though...you want the Naso after!!! :p

[TVR]

I take full responsibility for the problem as in an attempt to keep everything well fed I have created a nutrient rich environment

Ehehe... Sound like me 2 months ago... I dont know if this can help, but I ordered some cerith, afew turbo and some small tiny snail (forgot the name) - And turn out they are my big big helps.
The turbo and cerith work way too hard on those green and brown things, the snall tiny ones keep moving in the sand suface and clean the "like-dark-brown" stuff on the sand. One month I can see a big different. Still some to go, but now I start doing water change weekly and skimming, so I hope the bad and the urgly will goaway soon :lol:

Cheers,

[karazy]

I'd do what Myka said, take out the algae manually, and maybe take out one of your larger fish.
you could also try a blackout for a day or two.

I think that the naso tang wouldn't be a very good choice at all considering that it might not even eat the algae (every fish is different)
and also because if you cant get rid of it you've got a pretty big fish on your hands (ive seen some 16 inchers while snorkeling)

[michika]

You're biased though...you want the Naso after!!! :p

I also went through this type of experience before as well and it sucked and if I could go back in time and tell myself the following, life would be good; 1) urchins rock, 2) adding products is a waste of time and money, 3) grazing fish are your best friends!

Go with whatever works best for you Doug. Either way I'm heading to RC tonight, and I'm going to try and cherry pick those blond nasos (thanks for the heads up on them). :lol:

[fishytime]

If I added a naso it would definitely be temporary as my tank simply isnt big enough for anything but a juvi. At 3" a naso would be doable for a year or two maybe. My hopes would be that a naso would keep it trimmed back far enough that my recently online fuge will kick in and start sucking up what it supposed to. I have been running the lights on a reverse schedule as the display lights but may run them 24/7 to see if that helps. Catherines offer has me thinking "yes" again. Dang!

[michika]

Keep them at the reverse schedule If you run it 24/7 you'll slow down the rate of growth on some of your macro. Every plant that produces chlorophyl (photoautotrophs) requires a dark cycle. You can always bump it up a big more, but just make sure you leave some down time in the dark.

[Myka]

Urchins do rock. I agree with all three points. Just think he should replace one of his current fish with the Naso...

[fishytime]

Not sure what Im gonna do....thanks for letting me bounce ideas off you all.

[michika]

Not sure what Im gonna do....thanks for letting me bounce ideas off you all.

I think we should start charging. Possibly in the form of pretty photos. :lol:

[Alberta-newb]

To ad, my red turf algae has been diminishing significantly. I'm not sure what's going right (but I'm thrilled anyway:mrgreen:) but through help from you guys at RC I made a few changes in the last month. I had a bad ballast on my light which I replaced as well as two bulbs (fiji purple and new gen), I've cut back feedings to more numerous small ones to reduce waste and I also tried out some of the zeozyme (Kevin gave me a sample to try). In addition I really have tried to keep on top of maintenance and change filter socks daily.

One of these things has worked wonders, not sure if it was one or a combination of all. IIRC your bulbs are all pretty new but perhps you might consider the ZZ? I'm not a fan of additives, but I think it may of helped. Perhaps some of the hardcore ZEO guys can chime in on it's effectiveness?

[Trigger Man]

Fine Doug, if I've got to take your Lineatus Fairy Wrasse off your hands for cheap I guess I'll do it for you (only thinking of your bioload here:-). Just leave it at the store and when I come by to pick up the Laboutei Fairy Wrasse you guys got for me I'll take the Lineatus off your hands, and then you can get the Naso. I think this is the only thing that makes sense to me.

[Dolf]

Taken from: http://www.chucksaddiction.com/cleanupcrew.html
FISH - I know of only one species of fish that can be considered truly beneficial, and by that I mean it performs such a good service that its contribution in keeping the majority of algae species in check far outweighs its contribution to dissolved nutrient levels. Zebrasoma scopas - The brown scopas tang, the one fish species that I will always have in any coral display aquarium where algae must be kept under control.

*** I know it is another tang... and I do not know for certain it eats what you want it to eat- but you may want to look into it.***

[fishytime]

Taken from: http://www.chucksaddiction.com/cleanupcrew.html
FISH - I know of only one species of fish that can be considered truly beneficial, and by that I mean it performs such a good service that its contribution in keeping the majority of algae species in check far outweighs its contribution to dissolved nutrient levels. Zebrasoma scopas - The brown scopas tang, the one fish species that I will always have in any coral display aquarium where algae must be kept under control.

*** I know it is another tang... and I do not know for certain it eats what you want it to eat- but you may want to look into it.***

Thanks for the suggestion and the link but alas....the scopas doesnt eat either kind of my problem algae(according to the link in post #2 of this thread).

[untamed]

It is unlikely that the Naso would be in conflict with your other tangs. Althought they are "tangs", they are so different as to be generally left alone by other "tangs".

[fishytime]

It is unlikely that the Naso would be in conflict with your other tangs. Althought they are "tangs", they are so different as to be generally left alone by other "tangs".

Thanks for the input. I dont like to generalize about fish behavior....each fish is truely an individual. My regal is a shite...he initiates almost all new comers to the tank and at 5" he would put a thrashing on a 2 1/2-3" naso, if so inclined. Or it could be that the naso is small enough not to be seen as threat. He is also one of the rare and elusive coral eating regals. He loves his LPS:twised: I also personally witnessed my two "reef safe" male fairy wrasses(lineatus and hooded) hunt down and kill a peppermint shrimp:surprise: Its hard to say for sure what may or may not happen.

[JDigital]

Doug, you know there is only one option.... 72x24x24....:wink: + the Naso...

[Snappy]

Doug the naso is a 99% guaranteed solution for keeping those varieties of algae in check. I have yet to find a foxface or other rabbit that will do the job. The Naso is a safe bet and as stated by untamed, other tangs don't seem to get aggressive with them like they do with other tangs. Well at least this has been my consistent experience with them.
Good luck,
Greg

[marie]

I'll share my experiences with the nasty stuff. I had it bad (every rock was covered) in my old 55g tank. I did add a naso tang and he had it cleaned up within 2 months ( I sold the tang afterwards and have regretted it ever since)
I have dictyota in my 175g tank now too and the foxface does nibble at it occasionally but never puts a dent in it.
Interestingly, every once in a while large clumps of it disappears like magic and I have a suspicion (no proof though) that my abalone will come across it in his travels and will mow down all of it in his path. Worth a try because abalone can be fed nori when you run out of algae and they don't rearrange the frags and rock work like large snails do (and they haven't come up with abalone police yet :D )