Is there an GHA consuming "pygmy" Angel fish?

[vetteguy53081]

Also lawnmower blennies can be hair algae destroyers

That is actually a myth and seldom do they pay attention to GHA. The challenge of keeping a blenny is making sure it gets enough to eat. You can tell this by looking at its abdomen which should be a rounded shape like it swallowed a pea. A blenny with a pinched middle isn’t getting enough food.
Although a blenny needs plenty of algae to survive, its a common myth that it can survive alone on algae.
Since blennies frequent shallow water, they find their sanctuary within the coral reefs as they circle areas with coral branches and sponges, scraping their way along the sea bottom. Their feeding techniques are to pound and gnaw the coral which as a result they ingest detritus, or waste material primarily from the coral. This includes bits of coral skeleton, sand, gravel, and other organic matter such as fish eggs and tiny crustaceans.
Since a blenny in the wild does not subsist on solely algae, it stands to reason that their captive diet must be supplemented. If a blenny is not getting enough calcium carbonate in its diet, their overall condition will rapidly deteriorate.
Therefore, it is important to offer an occasional selection of commercial algae-based wafers or pellets.

 

[Jekyl]

That is actually a myth and seldom do they pay attention to GHA. The trickiest part about keeping a blenny is making sure it gets enough to eat. You can tell this visually by looking at the abdomen, which should be a healthy rounded shape. A blenny with a pinched midriff isn’t finding enough food.
Although a blenny needs plenty of algae to survive, a common misconception is that it can survive on algae alone. Since blennies frequent shallow tropical waters, they find their sanctuary within the coral reefs. They circle areas with coral branches and sponges, scraping their way along the diverse sea bottom. Their feeding techniques are to pound and gnaw the coral, and as a result, they ingest detritus, or waste material primarily, from the coral. This includes bits of coral skeleton, sand, gravel, and other organic matter, such as fish eggs and tiny crustaceans.
Since a blenny in the wild does not subsist on solely algae, it stands to reason that their captive diet must be supplemented. If a blenny is not getting enough calcium carbonate in its diet, its condition will rapidly deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to offer an occasional selection of commercial algae-based wafers or pellets.

Agreed. I have a lawnmower and he never touched the GHA. Just pecks at the rocks and glass all day.

 

[Cory]

That is actually a myth and seldom do they pay attention to GHA. The trickiest part about keeping a blenny is making sure it gets enough to eat. You can tell this visually by looking at the abdomen, which should be a healthy rounded shape. A blenny with a pinched midriff isn’t finding enough food.
Although a blenny needs plenty of algae to survive, a common misconception is that it can survive on algae alone. Since blennies frequent shallow tropical waters, they find their sanctuary within the coral reefs. They circle areas with coral branches and sponges, scraping their way along the diverse sea bottom. Their feeding techniques are to pound and gnaw the coral, and as a result, they ingest detritus, or waste material primarily, from the coral. This includes bits of coral skeleton, sand, gravel, and other organic matter, such as fish eggs and tiny crustaceans.
Since a blenny in the wild does not subsist on solely algae, it stands to reason that their captive diet must be supplemented. If a blenny is not getting enough calcium carbonate in its diet, its condition will rapidly deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to offer an occasional selection of commercial algae-based wafers or pellets.

Didn't know that! Heres a cool video:

 

[reefer024]

My court jester goby eats off the rocks all day every day. I havent seen him eat once when I feed

 

[Trever]

My black foot snails don't seem to touch the GHA.

The other morning, I wake up and suddenly the big one decides to mow the thick GHA on the back wall and took a big divot out of it.

Then he stopped.

I suspect cuc's are largely not a thing in tanks, just more interesting life for the tank. @Jay Hemdal did an article on this recently, though that's not exactly what he argued. Still...

Who knows? I'd love to try an urchin in the FOWLR I'm cooking up. Again, cool looking things if nothing else.

@Jekyl I can't detect phosphate with my Hanna nor nitrate with my Red Sea nor Salifert. Originally I had nitrates over 20, right after cycling. I have never been able to detect phosphate, ever. (I has made me wonder about my Hanna checker- if it is ok. But I presume it probably is. I do have the LR one, so makes me wonder what the HR might say.)

Nutrients are always zero and lately, I don't test those often, because as long as I can see all that algae, I feel I know what the numbers are gonna be- zero! It also means the tank is getting plenty of nutrients as I understand it, just getting sucked out quickly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@reefer024 I don't think going from 12 to 9.5 is going to do anything substantive for my GHA. If you were to tell me to go to 4 hours, maybe, but that doesn't seem like a solution.

I do grow corals. In fact, all of my corals are doing very well with solid, sometimes outstanding growth, if what I have to compared to online is any indication. I've only lost one coral since I started, I lost an elegance, probably to ECS though it supposedly was not an indo specimen.

I could complain about the coloration of my meteor shower, but I think that is receiving too much flow, and the coloration is not that bad.

My SPS are doing outstanding, my zoas are happy and growing, and my acan is starting to bloom big time. Etc.

I dose one part (Carbo-Calcium) and all of my parameters are flat line stable everytime I measure, which is a fair amount (twice daily when dialing in the dosing!).

Youre correct and that would have little to no impact on growth of GHA. An excess of available nutrients, particular the majors like phosphates and nitrates. Keep an eye on possible iron and potassium sources which may also help fuel hair algae. Hair algae spores and fragments are so abundant that keeping it out of the tank via quarantine is unlikely to be successful. Your best bet to preventing this algae from taking hold is to maintain a weekly water change regimen, maintain your filtration and perform manual/natural algae removal as it forms. In fact, proper magnesium and alkalinity levels are thought to discourage the growth of many species of GHA. This may be the closest relation to Alk.

 

[reefer024]

My black foot snails don't seem to touch the GHA.

The other morning, I wake up and suddenly the big one decides to mow the thick GHA on the back wall and took a big divot out of it.

Then he stopped.

I suspect cuc's are largely not a thing in tanks, just more interesting life for the tank. @Jay Hemdal did an article on this recently, though that's not exactly what he argued. Still...

Who knows? I'd love to try an urchin in the FOWLR I'm cooking up. Again, cool looking things if nothing else.

@Jekyl I can't detect phosphate with my Hanna nor nitrate with my Red Sea nor Salifert. Originally I had nitrates over 20, right after cycling. I have never been able to detect phosphate, ever. (I has made me wonder about my Hanna checker- if it is ok. But I presume it probably is. I do have the LR one, so makes me wonder what the HR might say.)

Nutrients are always zero and lately, I don't test those often, because as long as I can see all that algae, I feel I know what the numbers are gonna be- zero! It also means the tank is getting plenty of nutrients as I understand it, just getting sucked out quickly.

Out of all that you still don't address you said FOWLR. Post a picture of your set up. A angel is to big for your 20g and you not testing anything isn't helping. You don't need a 300w light for a FOWLR. You need to manually remove the algae and do 20% water changes.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Urchins and trochus snails took care of the GHA in my IM40, leaving my skunk clown pair devastated and homeless as they search their now-bald rock for weedy comfort.

My multicolor angel does pick at the GHA forest in my RSM 250...uprooting it so that it flows into the surface skimmer and clogs circulation.

The only one of my fish that I've seen eat GHA is my striped blenny. I've caught it with a bunch of algae hanging out of its mouth a couple of times, looking like a cow. I have no idea what that was about.

 

[ZoWhat]

Took me 15yrs to find this golden nugget of knowledge

Best way to combat nuisagae algae is to use tetraselmis phytoplankton to outcompete algae before it has a chance to grab a foothold.

Fought nuisance algae for 15yrs... going thru algae eating fish, CUC, dosing vodka/vinegar.... did it all

This past year got turned onto brewing my own Tetraselmis Phyto and I dose it every night 1hr before lights out. I haven't seen one ioda of algae in 9mos.

I'm shocked, dumbfounded and confused why tetraselmis dosing is not a standard form of husbandry in this hobby