What fish to add to help control algae??
 

I have finally got my 180 up and running and want some advice.
Being that my triggers pretty much eat anything that moves, I need some advice on what fish I can add into an agressive tank that will eat algae.
My other aggressive tank has HUGE algae issues because everything I put in to eat the algae in turn gets eaten by the triggers.
thanks in advance.
Neal

What type of algaes?

Some Tangs and Rabbitfish are generally known to consume algae. I guess it depends what type....

just the stupid hair algae.
I am definitely going to add a couple of tangs.
how would rabbit fish be with aggressive fish?
are there bigger species of rabbit fish??

Check your Po4 levels. 9 times out of 10 you can fix your algae problems by getting phosphates under control. Adding a fish is more of a temporary solutions, you need to get to the root of the problem.

Yes, some of the rabbitfish get large enough that I would imagine they wouldn't be eaten by triggers. My rabbitfish likes to eat hair algae more so than my Tangs.

Here's another idea that might help. If you can, setup a refugium, light it 24/7 and let the hair algae grow there. Works very well for me!

Oh yes...my sea hare liked to eat hair algae (when I had hair algae). I'm sure the triggers won't eat a sea hare.

My longspine urchin eats GHA. I also had a foxface that did the same.

I have found that my rusty angel nibbles on algae once in a while. but its a pygmy angel and would propably be food in your tank.

Assuming you have an appropriately sized skimmer, I would consider evaluating if you have enough flow to keep detritus from building up, and perhaps reviewing your water source (RO/DI output).

I agree, adding a fish for a problem just create other problems. Like what does the fish eat after it has eliminated your Algae.

Hectors Gobies will eat hair algae, and will also sift sand for food

Rabbit
 

I have a scribbled rabbitfish that is in with a huma trigger, an aggresive purple tang and a maroon clown..no prob's

I agree with rabbitfish and if/when the algae is gone they will eat whatever gets put into the tank, at least IME.

Exactly. Good water quality reduces algae, not fish. But if you need assistance getting rid of existing algae, a rabbitfish can help.

I guess a better point is if you don't want a rabit fish but want it to ride your tank of Algae your stuck with a fish you never really wanted. Mind you there are some really cool Rabit fish out there

J

I have a foxface in my display and a rabbit in my frag tank. Neither are my favourites but I consider them utility fish with a job to do.

I have the perfect hair algae eating duo, I changed out some of my live rock the other day and one of the new rocks was covered in green hair about 2" long.
Within 4 hours, between my foxface and my achilles, the 6" by 6" patch of algae was gone like it never existed :mrgreen:

I have a sailfin (lawnmower) blenny for the algae on the rocks, but use a yellow head goby for the sifting of the sand, plus an emerald crab and some other cleaning crew. I never have to clean anything but sometimes the glass.

not from personally experience but i've seen wicked responses to the use of freshwater mollys for hair algae. acclimate them very slow and they go crazy on it. but like others have said there is something that is fueling it and adding a fish is only a band-aid not the solution

I have heard good things about rabbit fishes and excess algae...but i never had a lot in the tanks with them in it. But i read an article backing it up in reefkeeping magazine...

Nice school or shoal of tangs:lol:

How about reducing population of fish instead of adding ? LOL

this might help with Po4 problem....