Best “tang like” fish for a smaller system?

bigbugoutfitters

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I have a fairy wrasse but he doesn’t seem interested in algae at all. Not sure if I want to roll the dice on an Angel
Ah, i was thinking more the wrasse more for making up for the tang’s movement. Maybe get a fish but also beef up the cleanup crew as well? I recently put two urchins in my tank which has definitely helped.
 

nereefpat

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Certain dwarf angels can work for that tank size, especially pygmy species like cherub or flameback.

There are some really nice damsels, like starkii.
 

Griev

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darn looks like they require like 100+ gallons as they get pretty good siz
Yeah that's probably true for the watanabes, but the spotbreasts stay smaller, especially if they stay female. My 50 lagoon was plenty big enough for a pair, but that gave them more circular swimming room than a standard dimension 50.
 

vetteguy53081

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For those who have smaller systems and can’t get a Tang, what is a fish that might have similar algae grazing abilities?

I have a Kole tang for about a year now in my 50gal and he is becoming a jerk. Killed 2 diamond gobys (tried one a few months ago, killed it in 3 days. Just got one yesterday and it killed it already) and is not letting my fire fish get a break. I always planned to rehome the Tang anyways because of my tank size, but this was the last straw. I have to take part my whole scape to catch it but I’m over his sh**.

Anything I could replace it with that would help keep algae at bay? Algae blenny? Just a bunch of snails? I’d prefer a fish replacement as snails aren’t the most interesting but open to suggestions!
Tomini and kole would work in a 32 bio-cube or larger. . . . However, there are viable options.
One is tail spot blenny
Pencil urchin
Trochus and astrea snail

Lawnmower blenny wont clean up a tank. While they eat algae, they need calcium in their diet which is why they spend half their day ponding on rocks- Its to obtain calcium deposits and they also need meats such as musis shrimp, plankton and the like

Having many many tangs, kole can do well in 24" or larger tank
 
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Tamberav

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Just get an urchin... then add a different fish instead for beauty.. maybe a dwarf angel?

why a fish to eat algae? Can just get CUC for that.

I tried two different koles in a 4 ft by 2 ft tank and they both had to be removed for the same reason. They are *****. I didn't even give them a chance to kill stuff... as soon as they started charging the wrasse, they got the boot. I used a fish trap off amazon.
 

cancun

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Nope. They're the only genus of 100% reef safe angels (genicanthus).
Sorry to disagree....but Genicanthus are not 100% reef safe imo. I had a Lamarck that ate my Acan colonies, Hammers etc before I could catch him. IMO there is no such thing as a 100% reef safe Angel, and that goes for other fish you might not think about. ;)

As far as the OP question......lawnmower blennys are great at tackling algae. Urchins are ok too. Good luck! :)
 

JXNATC

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I had a scopas tang for a bit that did. Again outgrew so I rehomed and got the kole tang. I’ll look into the blennies. I think they have issues with other similar shapes fish if I recall so I’ll have to see if I can keep one with my diamond goby (3rd times the charm right… )
My Blenny used to hide from the Kole in the Goby's den
 

adittam

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Another vote for a tuxedo urchin for algae and fish for beauty and activity.
 

seamonster

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For those who have smaller systems and can’t get a Tang, what is a fish that might have similar algae grazing abilities?

I have a Kole tang for about a year now in my 50gal and he is becoming a jerk. Killed 2 diamond gobys (tried one a few months ago, killed it in 3 days. Just got one yesterday and it killed it already) and is not letting my fire fish get a break. I always planned to rehome the Tang anyways because of my tank size, but this was the last straw. I have to take part my whole scape to catch it but I’m over his sh**.

Anything I could replace it with that would help keep algae at bay? Algae blenny? Just a bunch of snails? I’d prefer a fish replacement as snails aren’t the most interesting but open to suggestions!
 

seamonster

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For those who have smaller systems and can’t get a Tang, what is a fish that might have similar algae grazing abilities?

I have a Kole tang for about a year now in my 50gal and he is becoming a jerk. Killed 2 diamond gobys (tried one a few months ago, killed it in 3 days. Just got one yesterday and it killed it already) and is not letting my fire fish get a break. I always planned to rehome the Tang anyways because of my tank size, but this was the last straw. I have to take part my whole scape to catch it but I’m over his sh**.

Anything I could replace it with that would help keep algae at bay? Algae blenny? Just a bunch of snails? I’d prefer a fish replacement as snails aren’t the most interesting but open to suggestions!
Hi,
Can I buy the kole tang from you?
 

i cant think

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I’m going to vote… avoid all blennies if you love coral and want a clam in the future. My linear blenny didn’t care for clam mantles however he ate many SPS corals in my nano. I moved him into my 4’ tank and he leaves my softies and LPS alone however generally, the blennies are a risk to all fleshy LPS and most SPS as it’s part of their wild diet - although when recommended people aren’t usually told about this side of them.
 

Rocketfish

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I have a quite small 30 gallon reef that came down with a gha problem. Once I got the nutrients under control, my lawnmower blenny didn't make a dent in it.

Over the next year I tried converted mollies which didn't work. Large numbers of snails and hermits that didn't work. A Sea hare that worked awesome, but had to feed it nori to keep it alive after that. Eventually after being away for a long weekend and 4 days without nori, the sea hare died, and the algae came back. A tuxedo urchin which was barely an inch across that ate a ton of coraline algae but not much of the green stuff. It grew very fast and was a bulldozer! He would pick up frags off the rocks and frag rack and drop them wherever. I dont think i will ever do another urchin. Too much of a redecorator!

I tried to find a small tomini but none were available at the time. One of the local stores had a small powder blue tang so against all advice I bought it. That thing is an algae eating machine! He ate every scrap of algae off the rocks and had a quarter sheet of nori per day. Unfortunately he "disappeared" about 3 months after I got him. He probably stressed out in the too-small tank and died under a rock where bristle worms and the rest of the large cuc ate the evidence. He was there one night, and the next day not there. Up to the time he disappeared he seemed very healthy. Never a spot of ick or anything. He also left the other fish alone.

Anyway, the powder blue had eaten the algae so effectively that it did not grow back after that. Now I want to upgrade my tank to accommodate a powder blue and other tangs better.

If I end up with an algae problem again, I would go with a tomini most likely... The sea hare may be a good cheaper option, but they seem to leave something behind to regrow where the powder blue did not leave anything to grow back!
 

J2010701

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Tomini and kole would work in a 32 bio-cube or larger. . . . However, there are viable options.
One is tail spot blenny
Pencil urchin
Trochus and astrea snail

Lawnmower blenny wont clean up a tank. While they eat algae, they need calcium in their diet which is why they spend half their day ponding on rocks- Its to obtain calcium deposits and they also need meats such as musis shrimp, plankton and the like

Having many many tangs, kole can do well in 24" or larger tank
How long can I keep a kole in a 24x24 cube?
 
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