Do Acclimated Black Mollies Eat Cyano?

Admann

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
398
Reaction score
469
Location
Abbeville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I read a post that was a few years old somewhere that mentioned Black Mollies would graze cyano. Has anyone else heard this, is it a fable or do you have firsthand knowledge? Man, that would make you a millionaire.
 

Hermie

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
Messages
2,444
Reaction score
2,613
Location
Georgia OTP
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks, this would seem like something beneficial to a reef, if they don't get beat up.
I had one get stuck in the rocks and die because the powerhead was pointed at the rock, so I would just be careful about that... too much flow and they struggle.
 

Jesterrace

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2017
Messages
3,518
Reaction score
2,846
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I read a post that was a few years old somewhere that mentioned Black Mollies would graze cyano. Has anyone else heard this, is it a fable or do you have firsthand knowledge? Man, that would make you a millionaire.

Definitely not, they are hit and miss for eating regular algae. Honestly the best thing I have found for cyano in term of a live critter is a hermit crab since they eat the excess food, poop, etc. that can fuel cyano growth. Tried an experiment recently where I added 30 hermits to my 90 gallon with an understocked clean up crew. Was starting to get a bunch of Cyano on the back of my rocks. I changed literally nothing else and the next day it was virtually gone.
 
OP
OP
Admann

Admann

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
398
Reaction score
469
Location
Abbeville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Makes sense because it's simple
Definitely not, they are hit and miss for eating regular algae. Honestly the best thing I have found for cyano in term of a live critter is a hermit crab since they eat the excess food, poop, etc. that can fuel cyano growth. Tried an experiment recently where I added 30 hermits to my 90 gallon with an understocked clean up crew. Was starting to get a bunch of Cyano on the back of my rocks. I changed literally nothing else and the next day it was virtually gone.

Makes sense because it's simple, I always worried too much about the hermits eating the snails. I've seen those little assassins at work.
 

Jesterrace

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2017
Messages
3,518
Reaction score
2,846
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Makes sense because it's simple


Makes sense because it's simple, I always worried too much about the hermits eating the snails. I've seen those little assassins at work.

They definitely do. It's a matter of what you are willing to deal with. I accept that my snails are going to disappear between my hermits and my invert munching Melanurus Wrasse.
 
OP
OP
Admann

Admann

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
398
Reaction score
469
Location
Abbeville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I suppose
They definitely do. It's a matter of what you are willing to deal with. I accept that my snails are going to disappear between my hermits and my invert munching Melanurus Wrasse.

It would seem then that the flow factor would be the biggest problem
 
OP
OP
Admann

Admann

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
398
Reaction score
469
Location
Abbeville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Definitely not, they are hit and miss for eating regular algae. Honestly the best thing I have found for cyano in term of a live critter is a hermit crab since they eat the excess food, poop, etc. that can fuel cyano growth. Tried an experiment recently where I added 30 hermits to my 90 gallon with an understocked clean up crew. Was starting to get a bunch of Cyano on the back of my rocks. I changed literally nothing else and the next day it was virtually gone.
I've looked elsewhere for while and I believe I will try the hermits, I only have about 5 now in my 45. If that doesn't work then the Chemiclean
 

Gareth elliott

Read, Tinker, Fail, Learn
View Badges
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
5,468
Reaction score
6,934
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
OP
OP
Admann

Admann

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
398
Reaction score
469
Location
Abbeville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have had luck with these https://pacificeastaquaculture.com/collections/inverts/products/cyano-grazer-snails

Not saying they will fix an infestation, but those random one of pockets that form, they do help with. Bristleworms and microbrittle stars are good detritus eaters, as long as dont mind watching where your hand goes.
Thanks for the info, 2 things I have plenty of stars and bristleworms (not foreworms), I can't pull my algae grazer or seneye out of the tank without a few of the stars stuck in them.
 

JasonK84

I want more!!!
View Badges
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
2,975
Reaction score
8,188
Location
Amarillo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My Powder Blue Tang eats cyano! Now I only have it in a single spot in my 120 gallon FOWLR (actually fake coral inserts). It’s close to the surface and harder for it to reach since it is a good sized fish. When I get tired of the cyano in that spot I just pop the fake coral piece off and bleach it. Rinse really good and pop it back in.
 

ichthyogeek

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
2,072
Reaction score
2,056
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My mollies did not eat red cyano growing on Ulva, but that could have been a function of my overfeeding the tank at the time. A nice cube of mysis + a cube of brine shrimp with spirulina every day probably isn't going to motivate a fish to graze on cyano throughout the day.

Now if the fish is starving, it might nip at it. It really does depend.
 
Back
Top