Grazing grounds in your reef tank: Have you thought about creating an aquascape for your herbivorous fish to explore and thrive?

[Peace River]

Grazing grounds in your reef tank: Have you thought about creating an aquascape for your herbivorous fish to explore and thrive?

Have you thought about creating an aquascape for your herbivorous fish to explore and thrive? Kind of like a Thanksgiving spread for your plant eating fish, it is possible to set up your aquarium to cater toward your fish. Often people seem to clip nori to the side of the tank or just expect that the needs of the herbivorous fish will be meet through the standard food that is offered. Let us know if you have ever intentionally planted macro algae or added other design features to your aquascape to focus on the plant-based needs of your fish.

Photo by @maroun.c; Mustard Tang (Acanthurus guttatus)


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tckcorals.com

 

[DaneGer21]

Sorta: I purposely only scrap 3 on my 4 sides of glass. Every couple months I’ll clean it up and let it start over, but for the most part there’s always something there for the snails and fish pick at.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

My tangs always did what I think they do in nature, forage, regardless of a specific design. If algae grows they find it and hopefully consume it.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Didn’t go the vegan tank route yet.

 

[kenchilada]

No.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Oh, my tank does a great job growing its own herbivorous aquascape

But, I have an empty 11.4 low iron rimless and 10g I just moved upstairs that have been empty for some time...may have to make a macroalgae display with a nano goby...

FWIW I have experimented with Gracilaria in my main display, and I find it looks better with some full spectrum lighting. My main concern was urchins and emeralds so it didn't really pan out

 

[mfinn]

Oh, my tank does a great job growing its own herbivorous aquascape

Yeah me too.
I have several areas that grows lots of algae.
I just wish my tangs would recognize the free salad bar for what it is.

 

[F i s h y]

I use rock rubble about the size of tennis balls in my refugium to grow macro on. When my macro needs thinned I take a rock out and drop it in my display in different locations. The tangs go crazy for it, they can usually clean up a completely covered rock of macro in about 15 minutes. the butterfly fish and wrasse enjoy the copepods and amphipods that come along with it too. Everybody gets in on the action.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

LOL, I just want to get to a point where I can put some fish to work…

 

[Treefer32]

I have no issue with algae on my rocks. But, that said, I haven't intentionally created anything for them but I have 3 large tangs that are constantly pecking at the rocks. They must find something. I find they like film alagae over hair algae anyday. I also intentionally do not clean 3 sides of my 4 sides of glass to give them and the snails stuff to eat throughout the day. Especially now being gone over the holidays for a few days. I want everything operating at it's best. So, that includes the algae growing on the glass.

I have a plank auto feeder that feeds freeze dried food 3 times a day and then I feed frozen at night. I'm debating not feeding any frozen while I'm gone Wednesday to Friday.

They have plenty of algae on the glass and food from the auto feeder.


I also have an abelone snail (About 3-4" long) that is really cool. He comes out on the glass at night. And eats voraciously. I've had it almost a year now and it's doing amazingly well! It covers a lot of ground quickly. Just sad that I only see it at night. I have 2-3 other turbo snails that are also getting massive. So, they all must have plenty to eat. I only feed nori every other day, but there must be enough algae that grows fast enough (not intentionally placed) to feed all the snails and fish primarily because of how fast film algae grows on my glass despite the large snails!

 

[KrisReef]

I use rock rubble about the size of tennis balls in my refugium to grow macro on. When my macro needs thinned I take a rock out and drop it in my display in different locations. The tangs go crazy for it, they can usually clean up a completely covered rock of macro in about 15 minutes. the butterfly fish and wrasse enjoy the copepods and amphipods that come along with it too. Everybody gets in on the action.

This is an interesting idea, thank you!

I usually take my excess Chaeto to the lfs but sometimes toss the excess into the fish tank for the herbivores to eat.

I got the herbivores to keep the weeds in check, never thought about trying to grow extra weeds in the tank.

I may try @F i s h y ’s method to see how that goes

 

[jpmazzone]

I do the same thing as DanGer21; I allow the back pane to accumulate algae growth and it prevents die off when the CUC is finished with the rocks.

 

[shakacuz]

i leave my back glass dirty for my tang. it also find things growing in rocks but i make sure the tank is heavily fed with my DIY food

 

[littlefoxx]

Made mine with lots of holes and caves for the tangs to swim around in and let the algae grow as well as feed nori. Tank was scaped for the tangs and angels in mind

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I cannot keep any macro algae in my big tank, as the foxface rabbit fish eats it before it can grow. But I grow macro algae in a smaller, carnivore tank and an fish less tank. I use these algae to feed my rabbit fish, my hippo tang and my Eibli angel when my plants get overgrown. They love it.
I wish I could grow some directly in their tank though. I doubt that it is possible with a rabbit fish.

 

[revhtree]

I use rock rubble about the size of tennis balls in my refugium to grow macro on. When my macro needs thinned I take a rock out and drop it in my display in different locations. The tangs go crazy for it, they can usually clean up a completely covered rock of macro in about 15 minutes. the butterfly fish and wrasse enjoy the copepods and amphipods that come along with it too. Everybody gets in on the action.

This is great! Would you consider taking a photo or two of them in the refugium and then on the tank and create a thread about the process? Would be very good info to share!

 

[CheckeredPants]

I use rock rubble about the size of tennis balls in my refugium to grow macro on. When my macro needs thinned I take a rock out and drop it in my display in different locations. The tangs go crazy for it, they can usually clean up a completely covered rock of macro in about 15 minutes. the butterfly fish and wrasse enjoy the copepods and amphipods that come along with it too. Everybody gets in on the action.

Care to share what lighting you’re using? I’ve got two tangs and a couple other grazers I’d love to do this with. I’ve got a 40g sump with 20lbs live rock I’d love to start this with. TIA!!

 

[F i s h y]

Care to share what lighting you’re using? I’ve got two tangs and a couple other grazers I’d love to do this with. I’ve got a 40g sump with 20lbs live rock I’d love to start this with. TIA!!

I use a kessil H 160

 

[650Bob08]

I scaped with my Tangs in mind to start with. Lots of surface area and a back wall that is never touched. Just fish for now, but may attempt coral down the line. Next step is growing gracillaria and other macro algae’s in my sump.