Growing to feed Tangs and Angels?!

[rbraunberger]

hello all,

I am currently setting up a refugium in my sump. I was looking at all the options of what you can grow and was wondering if anyone grows macroalgae to feed their fish. I have two large tangs and 5 angels I would love to grow food for. Suggestions?! Good place to order online? Thanks!

 

[Maritimer]

If I can get my paws on some Gracillaria, I'd love to grow some for my fish. (The only shop locally that I've seen it at lately was a Petco, and it was covered with dinos. No thanks!) I'm given to understand that stuff is like catnip for tangs.

~Bruce

 

[rbraunberger]

If I can get my paws on some Gracillaria, I'd love to grow some for my fish. (The only shop locally that I've seen it at lately was a Petco, and it was covered with dinos. No thanks!) I'm given to understand that stuff is like catnip for tangs.

~Bruce

Algaebarn.com has it!

 

[revhtree]

I got some and want to start growing it as well. Is there any danger of this type algae starting to grow and take over your main display?

 

[rbraunberger]

I got some and want to start growing it as well. Is there any danger of this type algae starting to grow and take over your main display?

That is a great question!! Something I have been worried about with the addition of my refugium. Anyone have experience?

 

[lion king]

You have no danger of gracilaria taking over, it doesn't even attach itself( I rubber band it to a small rock to anchor). and grows pretty slow. I have it in a refugium and 3 varieties in a macro tank. All tangs won't eat it, my mimic and orange shoulder aren't interested. Hikari makes a nice algae blend and they get plenty from just grazing around the tank. I put a small bush from my refugium in qt for my mimic, he picked the green nuisance algae off the bush and didn't even bother with red gracilaria.

 

[ksfulk]

I grew ulva in my large refugium and often fed it to my whitecheek tang and my rabbitfish. The wrasses would pick at it too. Ulva seems to be a go to for a lot of people, as it grows on the surface of the water, and doesnt attach to anything. Its fast growing too. Some of the "softer" style red algae often goes over well, but the "harder" types are often ignored by many fish.

http://www.live-plants.com/ was my go-to for macros. The sampler packs (red, caulerpa, etc) are great for getting a variety of macros for cheap and their mangroves are cheap and HUGE!