What type of algae do our fish eat in the wild?

[Miami Reef]

When I let my nutrients and silicates go up, I get mainly hair algae and diatoms.

What type of algae do herbivores in the reefs eat the most? Is it the same thing that grows so rapidly in our tanks?

 

[Miami Reef]

Update: I learned ogo and sea lettuce are some algae that tangs eat in the wild.

Question: why don’t these algae grow in our tanks? Why is the hair algae so abundant?

 

[Dkmoo]

Same reason we see weed take over an unmaintained back yard, yet they dont take over forest and jungles.

One word - biodiversity

 

[Miami Reef]

Same reason we see weed take over an unmaintained back yard, yet they dont take over forest and jungles.

One word - biodiversity

How can we maintain biodiversity in a reef tank? Does the "jungle" need to be introduced first? I never see sea lettuce etc grow in my tank. Just the standard hair algae.