Another tang alternative thread!

[Acros]

I am setting up a 40 gallon breeder reef tank. I want a fish that severs the functionality of tangs. One that is an algae grazer.

I could mostly only find discussions about tang alternatives that look like tangs.

I want a fish that will be happy in a 40 gallon and also graze on algae.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I am setting up a 40 gallon breeder reef tank. I want a fish that severs the functionality of tangs. One that is an algae grazer.

I could mostly only find discussions about tang alternatives that look like tangs.

I want a fish that will be happy in a 40 gallon and also graze on algae.

I keep a lawnmower blenny in my frag tank and that little thing does nothing but graze all day. Not the prettiest thing, but awesome personality and again, munches algae all day.

 

[Pntbll687]

You can transition mollies to saltwater. They graze on algae and come in wide variety of colors. I personally set up a 50g low boy frag tank and have 10 mollies in there to keep algae under control

 

[PicassoClown04]

A sea hare or lettuce nudibranch could do the job!

 

[Acros]

I keep a lawnmower blenny in my frag tank and that little thing does nothing but graze all day. Not the prettiest thing, but awesome personality and again, munches algae all day.

Lawnmover blenny is high up on my list. I find their face to be goofy.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Lawnmover blenny is high up on my list. I find their face to be goofy.

It is and my wife claims the fish as hers due to that.

 

[SDguy]

Lawnmover blenny is high up on my list. I find their face to be goofy.

I find Starry Blennies to be more attractive, have the same eating habits, and stay smaller.

 

[Acros]

I find Starry Blennies to be more attractive, have the same eating habits, and stay smaller.

I agree with you. They look more interesting. So, what I gather form the comments is that Blennys are the best fish alternative to tangs.

 

[EMeyer]

I've got to disagree. Blennies are wonderful, but not at all a substitute for tangs. Blennies only eat film algae in my experience.

I've never found a fish that would really act as a substitute for tangs, in terms of eating the algae that tangs eat. Some rabbitfish, but not all.

Fortunately, small tangs are perfectly well suited for a 40b, so my advice is - get a tang :)

 

[Acros]

I've got to disagree. Blennies are wonderful, but not at all a substitute for tangs. Blennies only eat film algae in my experience.

I've never found a fish that would really act as a substitute for tangs, in terms of eating the algae that tangs eat. Some rabbitfish, but not all.

Fortunately, small tangs are perfectly well suited for a 40b, so my advice is - get a tang :)

I had to knock it down to a 29 (small apartment). So definitely not getting a tang.

 

[EMeyer]

Oh, missed that. Yeah, a 29 would be a bit small!

 

[Acros]

I got a lawnmower blenny.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Twin spot blenny or a couple of black mollies- yes in saltwater