What eats hair algae?

[spamvicious]

At least I think it’s hair algae? I have Astrea snails and trochus snails but they don’t touch it. It’s on the main rock piece in my tank. I sometimes lift my strawberry conch up there to eat it but I’m not sure if he does actually eat it. It’s not fast growing but there are more patches of it. Looks brown in the tank but green under natural light. Growing like pieces of moss but also some wirey stalks.

 

[Dom]

Turbo snails.

 

[Patx]

Tank size ?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

turbo snails, toothbrush and fingers

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Turbo snails, algae blenny, urchin. Those have worked great for me. Otherwise the tried and true manual removal lol

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Turbo snails and urchins will eat the slightly longer stuff. Trochus will touch it, but once it gets too longer, they go past it. If you can grab it by your fingers or tweezer. I'd remove by hand and leave the rest for CUCs.

Again this is preference as some CUC's are picky.

 

[spamvicious]

I only have a Fluval evo 13.5 gallon so too small for turbo snails. The strawberry conch I supplement feed already. I’ve tried pulling the stuff out but it’s not long enough to get a good grip on and it comes off in tiny parts.

 

[X-37B]

A sea hare will strip it all then keep it at bay with Trochus, pyramid, and turbo snails.
Once the algae is gone remove the sea hare so it does not starve.

 

[Red_Beard]

and tuxido urchins sometimes. especially if you hit it with a toothbrush first. softens it up and makes it more palatable.

 

[spamvicious]

A sea hare will strip it all then keep it at bay with Trochus, pyramid, and turbo snails.
Once the algae is gone remove the sea hare so it does not starve.

Yeah I looked into a sea hare but I can’t find anyone that will rehome it after.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Tuxedo urchins do great too

 

[X-37B]

Yeah I looked into a sea hare but I can’t find anyone that will rehome it after.

I just take it back to the lfs, lol, but lfs always have them.
Astrea snail are small, get a dozen and a couple emerald crabs and a small urchin.
FTS so we can see the whole system.

 

[spamvicious]

I just take it back to the lfs, lol, but lfs always have them.
Astrea snail are small, get a dozen and a couple emerald crabs and a small urchin.
FTS so we can see the whole system.

Six months in and going through an ugly stage.

 

[X-37B]

Six months in and going through an ugly stage.

Yea a couple pieces of live rock, sump or tank, will help you overcome the uglies.

Other than that you can remove rocks and manualy remove algae then add cuc.

 

[phillyb614]

I struggled mightily with GHA in my 20 gallon. Nothing went after more than the pin cushion urchin I got. Thing did an amazing job. Just make cure your corals are glued down well, because it will readily take them for a ride.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Also Chiton and Pitho Crabs

 

[richserpe]

John Maloney at Reef Cleaners can steer you in the right direction. He sells all things Clean Up Crew. I’m a big fan of his Fuzzy Chitons. He can also recommend a custom CUC for your specific tank and it’s issues. Good luck.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Tuxedo urchins do great too

will they strip my rock of coralline, too?

 

[Usarmy227]

Here’s what I did for my hair alage

Added 2 mason jars of posidens feast galaxy pods and adding oceanmajik

Then I went to by a cuc right after that
15 scarlet hermits
6 zebra turbo snail
3 Mexican turbo snails

Then I added 40ML of Aquaforest phosphate minus to my filter sock. Clean and add fresh every week with water change and sock cleaning.

It’s was gone within a week. Pictures of before are below will add after photos when I get home.

My tank is a 15g. I probably over did it a little but Biome is doing it job.

 

[vabben]

If you don’t care about coraline, urchins. They’ll mow it down.