Lawnmower blennies vs sea urchins

[Redbird5]

I have a hair algae issue in my aquarium currently. This weekend I'm planning on getting either lawnmower or a starry blenny or algae sea urchin help maintain the algae.

I've read good things about both. I've read urchins are a bit complicated to add to the aquarium.

First question, is it possible to have the blenny and an urchin since they'd compete for the same food source?

Which one is better at eating algae? The blenny has a bigger personality than the urchin from what I've read. Which one is heartier?

 

[Rocks reef]

What are you doing to correct the hair algae issue? What are your parameters? Both the blenny and urchin can help, however, if you don't fix what is causing it, the issue will return.

 

[Redbird5]

My perimeters are ammonia, nitrites, nitrates are 0.
I think part of the issue is I leave my lights on too long.
I'm not sure how to raise my nitrites. They seem to always be 0. I have a clown, a peppermint shrimp and skunk shrimp and two snails in a 45 gallon. I know that I don't have enough bacteria in the aquarium, and need more animals to feed the animals. That can cause issues with the ammonia.

 

[Rocks reef]

Do you know what your Phosphate is?
You can raise your nitrates with something like Brightwells Neonitro or you can DIY with sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate or ammonium bicarbonate.
How long has the tank been running?

 

[Redbird5]

It fishless cycled from 4/28 to 5/28 and has had fish since then.

 

[W31Olds]

I have both. My lawnmower is an interesting fish that will not eat GHA only film turf algae. Tuxedo eats everything.

 

[Rocks reef]

Ok. I would start my manually removing the GHA. Are you able to pull rocks out to scrub them? Did you use any kind of bacteria to seed the aquarium?

 

[malacoda]

Livestock rarely ever solves an existing algae problem...

It's far better at preventing them.

How old is your tank?

GHA and other algae issues are common in tanks that have been up less than a year. And as the tank matures, the algae should begin to fade away on its own — especially if it is kept in check manually until then.

AFIK, like most other herbivores, blennies and urchins only eat hair algae if is really, really short (think beard stubble or crew cut). (Even then, my tuxedo never eats it and looks for coralline instead.)

And, depending on the size of tank and scope of the algae issue, it could take an army of them to put any noticeable dent in it.

A much better plan of attack would be temporary control via manual removal ... combined with the patience to let your tank mature and find its biome and nutrients reach a stable balance. When it does, you should start to see the GHA begin to fade away on its own.

Then, once most of it has faded away, to help prevent future outbreaks, choose a few herbivores to add because you like and want them ... rather than because you 'need' them.

 

[Redbird5]

Ok. I would start my manually removing the GHA. Are you able to pull rocks out to scrub them? Did you use any kind of bacteria to seed the aquarium?

Yes, I used bacteria to seed the aquarium. I've take out my rock a few at a time, clean them with a toothbrush and put them back. I have the big rocks that my shrimp call home. They molted last night so I'll wait for the weekend to clean the rest of the rocks.

 

[John Neuzil]

In my experience the blenny will do little to help. Tuxedo urchin is a much better choice assuming you have eliminated the cause.

 

[Redbird5]

In my experience the blenny will do little to help. Tuxedo urchin is a much better choice assuming you have eliminated the cause.

Even one of my snails is covered in hair algae. I take the rocks out of the aquarium and outside to remove it.

 

[MikeReefs]

Get those nitrates up maybe using neo nitro. You wanna be around 5-10. Also get a reading on those phosphates

 

[Newrfgurl]

Well, let me just say I purchased a lawnmower blenny and I also purchased a tuxedo urchin and let me tell you what the tuxedo urchin is nonstop. He never stops eating. He just keeps moving and just keeps trucking along and just keeps eating but the blenny he does his own thing. He just kinda hangs out and chills, but he doesn’t eat all the time so

 

[Redbird5]

I've been working on cleaning the rocks by toothbrush and elbow grease when I get time this week. I have two rocks to go.

I did look at urchins and a lawnmower blenny and a starry blenny this afternoon. The LFS said starry blennies can get more aggressive than LMB can. They do the same job.

I understand the animals can control the algae, but I have to do my part and clean it by hand.

I'd like something with personality. Do urchins have personality? They're not going to watch me, of course. I like that they wear things. I saw one that had coral on him today.

 

[Waters]

To be honest, neither will help much with mature hair algae. It needs to be manually removed and kept short for the urchin to eat it (normally). I have also kept 3-4 algae blennies and none of them ever ate long hair algae unfortunately lol. Only thing I have seen eat long hair algae is a sea hare.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I've been working on cleaning the rocks by toothbrush and elbow grease when I get time this week. I have two rocks to go.

I did look at urchins and a lawnmower blenny and a starry blenny this afternoon. The LFS said starry blennies can get more aggressive than LMB can. They do the same job.

I understand the animals can control the algae, but I have to do my part and clean it by hand.

I'd like something with personality. Do urchins have personality? They're not going to watch me, of course. I like that they wear things. I saw one that had coral on him today.

Blennies definitely have personality. I would get a blenny to help increase the bioload in your tank…not necessarily for the algae control.

Urchins are good to help keep things in check. I have five pincushions in my 450g…they do eat coralline algae as well.

Manual removal is your best bet and upgrading your clean up crew (turbo, astrea, trochus snails) along with possibly an urchin.

Your tank is still new, so there will be some uglies…but the quicker you get a handle on it, the better.

 

[Redbird5]

To be honest, neither will help much with mature hair algae. It needs to be manually removed and kept short for the urchin to eat it (normally). I have also kept 3-4 algae blennies and none of them ever ate long hair algae unfortunately lol. Only thing I have seen eat long hair algae is a sea hare.

The outbreak isn't bad enough for a sseahare. This week I've been removing it manually off the rocks.

 

[Redbird5]

Blennies definitely have personality. I would get a blenny to help increase the bioload in your tank…not necessarily for the algae control.

Urchins are good to help keep things in check. I have five pincushions in my 450g…they do eat coralline algae as well.

Manual removal is your best bet and upgrading your clean up crew (turbo, astrea, trochus snails) along with possibly an urchin.

Your tank is still new, so there will be some uglies…but the quicker you get a handle on it, the better.

I do need to increase my bioload. The aquarium is too big for just my clownfish and two shrimp and two snails. I rearranged the rocks and my shrimp have found their hiding spots and I don't see them much any more. That's a good thing though.