What snails do I need?

[viodea]

I have hair algae all over my overflow box and very little on my rocks.
I want to get some snails to help my problem.
What kind of snail should I get?


Does Hippo or Yellow Tang eat hair algae? These 2 fishes are on my wish list but won't be in my DT for a while (find them locally and QT).


thanks

[reef_enthusiast]

viodea,

From my experience, I never had tangs touch hair algae. Also, I am not aware of any snails that will touch it.

Most of the people here will tell you to try to get to source of the problem (i.e. elevated nitrates or phosphates). That is usually hard to pinpoint especially when you get low readings of nitrates and phosphates (which is usually due to the hair algae absorbing it).

One thing you may want to look into are lettuce nudibranches.
Reeftopia (http://www.reeftopia.com) carries them. However, I notice you have koralias so this may not be an option.

good luck.

[Shooter7]

It is usually best to work on why you have the algae in the first place, rather than trying to find animals to eat it, because once they eat it, it's just going to grow back again if you don't do something to address what's fueling it. Algae in the overflow is pretty common. Beyond working to reduce your nitrates and phosphates which feed the algae, another thing you can do is try to fashion a cover for your overflow box to completely block the light getting to it. Covers I have on mine were made from styrofoam. HTH

[Don-Coraleone]

i think trochus snails are the best for algae, they usually clean ouse pretty good.

[viodea]

I think my problem is from my new sand. On top of that, I used tap water to rinse my sand before I dump them to my tank.

All I have is a blue legged hermit in there and no feeding. I have 2 clowns in QT.

Does it mean all I need to do is keep doing water change and they will be gone? I really don't think I'm added nitrates or phosphates to the system.

[viodea]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12274593#post12274593 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reef_enthusiast
viodea,

From my experience, I never had tangs touch hair algae. Also, I am not aware of any snails that will touch it.

Most of the people here will tell you to try to get to source of the problem (i.e. elevated nitrates or phosphates). That is usually hard to pinpoint especially when you get low readings of nitrates and phosphates (which is usually due to the hair algae absorbing it).

One thing you may want to look into are lettuce nudibranches.
Reeftopia (http://www.reeftopia.com) carries them. However, I notice you have koralias so this may not be an option.

good luck.

thanks for you advice but I'm not sure if my tank is stable enough for that.
btw. do they eat anything else other than hair algae? I'm afraid they'll staved too death after all hair algae are gone.

[viodea]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12274611#post12274611 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shooter7
It is usually best to work on why you have the algae in the first place, rather than trying to find animals to eat it, because once they eat it, it's just going to grow back again if you don't do something to address what's fueling it. Algae in the overflow is pretty common. Beyond working to reduce your nitrates and phosphates which feed the algae, another thing you can do is try to fashion a cover for your overflow box to completely block the light getting to it. Covers I have on mine were made from styrofoam. HTH

I understand finding the source of the problem is the most important. I still need to get rid of them eventually, unless they'll die off once the source of the problem is gone.
Also, hair algae are on the outside of my overflow not inside. It's so strange, there are only a few on my rocks but the outside of my 2 overflows are fully covered.

[viodea]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12274700#post12274700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by makavelli911
i think trochus snails are the best for algae, they usually clean ouse pretty good.

cool. I'll check if I can find it locally.

[tmz]

The Elysia crispata and the Elysia ornata are th two lettuce slugs commonly sold in the hobby. Both are hit and miss with eating hair algae especially bryopsis. they actually suck the cloroplast out but do not eat the plant.These animals do not survive in reef tanks. I have yet to hear of one sucesfully kept in a typical reef tank for more than a couple of months.

Trochus and stomatella are consistent grazers. Surgeonfish particularly some of the Zebrasoma's do fairly well. The paracanthurus hippatus(ble/hippo tang) doesn't do much at all. Rabbitfish, particulary Siganus(foxfaces) are ery consistent grazers but even they don't eat the bryopsis .

[viodea]

I'm not going to get lettuce slug if it's impossible to keep them long term. thanks for the info.

what's bryopsis?

[tmz]

Bryopsis is a form of filamentous (hair) algae. It has a fernlike appearance. It is very common and difficult to erradicate.