Kole tangs

[cristhiam]

Hi, any issues with this fish picking on corals? so far I have not had any luck with tangs, I had a hippo and a sailfin that picked on brains/LPS and I had to sell them, I really need a fish to keep the tank clean of algea, I got rid of the saifin a few months ago and now micro algea (grape caulerpa) is growing again.

Thanks

[Charlie's Angel]

My kole has been a model citizen. I have had him 4 months and have a mixed reef.

[masonicman]

I had a kole that got lateral Iine diease. It was very shy also. What about an algea blenny or lawn mower blenny. They both do a job on the algea

[H2OLUVSME]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11318619#post11318619 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by masonicman
What about an algea blenny or lawn mower blenny. They both do a job on the algea

Exactly what I would reccomend, allthought Ive never had caulerpa in a display.

[JokerGirl]

I've had my Kole in my mixed reef for just about a year now and it's been great. It never picks at the corals themselves, but will pick off any algae the might be growing off the base around them or on the shell of a clam.

Mine is constantly grazing and isn't all that shy at all. It will eat out of my hand.

If you do get one, just be careful because I know mine wouldn't eat any prepared foods for about 3-4 weeks before it finally decided to try some. My neighbour's Kole died this way.

[DarthSimon]

Don't forget...

My Kole also loves Nori strips on a clip.. Very important for their nutrition... At least 3 times a week.....

[jnc914]

You are not going to find too many fish that will take care of caluerpa, in fact I can't think of any that will. The above mentioned fish are great for eating your common green algae or the brown film algae that you get on your glass daily. The Kole tang will not eat caluerpa.....You may have to rock scrub to get rid of it.

[Cheekymonkey]

Try a foxface mine will eat anything?

[Danny07204]

Molly is good for algea also.

[cristhiam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11319116#post11319116 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnc914
You are not going to find too many fish that will take care of caluerpa, in fact I can't think of any that will. The above mentioned fish are great for eating your common green algae or the brown film algae that you get on your glass daily. The Kole tang will not eat caluerpa.....You may have to rock scrub to get rid of it.

The saifin tang did eat caulerpa, I had caulerpa before I introduced the tang and it ate it all, I had the tang for 2 years before it started picking corals (it was about 6" when I sold it :(), also ate HA. Now my 2 year old starry blennie only eats nori, raw shrimp, and formula 1 pelets.

[cristhiam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11319480#post11319480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cheekmonkey
Try a foxface mine will eat anything?
Same problem with a foxface, picked on my clams

[cristhiam]

a pick of the beautyfull tang :)
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cbucheli/125/sailfin.jpg

[cristhiam]

And the bad foxy, now this guy did eat like a horse
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cbucheli/125/side.jpg

[blackheart]

get your sailfin back if you want something that will eat all the algae you described.

there are other zebrasoma that will eat those algae but you run the same risk with all of them.

Good luck

[cristhiam]

Anyone else can comment on kole tangs?

[Conesus_Kid]

I can't comment on a Kole tang's propensity to eat caulerpa, but they are great fish.

I have one in my 75, and he's constantly grazing the rocks, sand, and glass. He loves the nori and pals around with my scribbled rabbitfish.

He never picks at anything he shouldn't, and is a peaceful dude.

IMO, pictures don't do this species justice. They have a subtle beauty that I've seldom seen captured in a digital image.

Two thumbs up for the Kole!!! :D

[jnc914]

I still think the quickest option, if possible, is to manually scrub the Caluerpa algae off the rock. I had to stop using caluerpa in my refuge due to it always finding its way into the display. There was always that one rock it always attached itself to.

[tmz]

Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosis) neat fish.The Ctenochaetus(bristletooths) are probably the least likely of all the tangs and rabbit fishes to bother corals. As for caulerpa my Zebrasoma xanturum(purple tang) will eat it up whenever a stray piece finds it's way ito the tank.