- Joined
- Jan 30, 2023
- Messages
- 608
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- 432
- Location
- Alaska
- What state or country do you live in
- Alaska
Looking at my tank and marveling at how little bubble algae I had, I had to share. I'm sure someone will be searching in frustrating due to this stuff! The 2 Barred Rabbit fish was the win for me! Bubble algae was taking over the tank I tried a lot of emerald and pitho crabs which seemed to do nothing. I added the Rabbit fish. Don't know that I saw much change at first. I would use a PVC and siphon to scrape the rocks and suck out as much I could to try and control it.
One day a few bubbles got free from the siphon and drifted. He swam right over and gobbled them up. I got more aggressive with scraping rocks and he learned, and followed me around the tank. Lately I have some of those long (12 inch) tweezers I use to get in tight spaces. Haven't used the siphon in months and now when I see some Valonia I just pull them off the rock or scrape them off and he follows me around and gobbles them up. It's at the point where I'll look 2-3 times a week and I often have trouble finding any. Used to be all over the rocks and coral so much it made me sad and frustrated to even look at my tank. Instead of enjoying the tank and coral I was depressed and frustrated at how much Valonia there was.
So, if your tank is big enough (or maybe even get a small one and trade it in when it gets too big) think about a 2 barred Rabbit fish for Velonia control. FWIW I also have a Scopas tang. He's much less interested in the Velonia but sometimes will grab a few too. I don't know how hit and miss these fish are for this but the one I got is a monster at cleaning it up!
One day a few bubbles got free from the siphon and drifted. He swam right over and gobbled them up. I got more aggressive with scraping rocks and he learned, and followed me around the tank. Lately I have some of those long (12 inch) tweezers I use to get in tight spaces. Haven't used the siphon in months and now when I see some Valonia I just pull them off the rock or scrape them off and he follows me around and gobbles them up. It's at the point where I'll look 2-3 times a week and I often have trouble finding any. Used to be all over the rocks and coral so much it made me sad and frustrated to even look at my tank. Instead of enjoying the tank and coral I was depressed and frustrated at how much Valonia there was.
So, if your tank is big enough (or maybe even get a small one and trade it in when it gets too big) think about a 2 barred Rabbit fish for Velonia control. FWIW I also have a Scopas tang. He's much less interested in the Velonia but sometimes will grab a few too. I don't know how hit and miss these fish are for this but the one I got is a monster at cleaning it up!
