Best herbivore for a 90g

[arrowheadpuffer]

I have tried two algae blennys but I could never get them to eat prepared food, nori, flake what ever. What herbivore would be a better fit, looking for something easy to feed, peaceful and reef safe.

[virginiadiver69]

A juvi yellow or sailfin tang or a juvi foxface would be my opinion.

[wrott]

Foxface, even adult size would still be OK in a 90g. I had mine in a 3' 65g for 3 years, then moved it to my 120g.
I guess I'm just not a tang fan, unless I had a >300g tank.

[lietz06]

Flame angel would be good in a 90

[davocean]

Sailfin will get way too big, foxface are a bit ticky for me, and a flame is a gamble if you plan to have sps.
In a 90g, I'd lean towards a kole, tommini/bristletooth, lieutenant, chevron.
Lawnmower blennys are great, but as you know they may not eat prepd once algae is gone.
And then if they do, they can be a bit hoggy competing for food w/ other fish.

[ludnix]

Foxface is the most peaceful of the larger fish recommended in my experience. Tomini does a great job with filamentious algae, but is less interested in stringy algaes like bryopsis or hair algae.

[lietz06]

Sailfin will get way too big, foxface are a bit ticky for me, and a flame is a gamble if you plan to have sps.
In a 90g, I'd lean towards a kole, tommini/bristletooth, lieutenant, chevron.
Lawnmower blennys are great, but as you know they may not eat prepd once algae is gone.
And then if they do, they can be a bit hoggy competing for food w/ other fish.

Ah, I'm sorry I didn't see the reefsafe part...ya I would go with a different aglae eater than the flame. Sorry:S

[OwenInAZ]

Scopas tangs are famous for their herbivory.

[arrowheadpuffer]

I think I recall reading that fox face lo might nip at LPS and softies, is this true?

Think I might go with a yellow tang

[Peter Eichler]

I think I recall reading that fox face lo might nip at LPS and softies, is this true?

Think I might go with a yellow tang

It's hit and miss... 90g is borderline for just about any tang, but I'd suggest sticking with some of the smaller Zebrasoma, yellow, purple, and scopas tang are all good choices. The nice thing about scopas and purple is that they're usually easier to find small.

[arrowheadpuffer]

yellow tang seems to be the smallest, least expensive and most hardy tang.

I am worried about putting a lo in the tank on the off chance that it starts eating coral and then it would be a pain to remove.

Are there any other small herbivores that would work?

[arrowheadpuffer]

bump

[fisho125]

i'd go with the scopas

[Imzadi]

How small of a tank could you put a Scopas in? The guy at the LFS was trying to sell me one for my 55g.

[A sea K]

Foxface is probably your most effective bet. Mine actually seemed to like the tougher algeas my tangs would pass up.
And yes, as he got bigger and older he started to nip my LPS. It started out pretty slow and got to be a regular habit. He has since been returned to the LFS, this was not the only reason for his return however, I needed to make space for re-stocking my tank in a different direction.

I forgot to add the Yellow Scopas as a very good second not to mention the yellow on these guys always looks good in any tank suitable to keep them in.

[AC11337]

a little foxface takes it hands down. IME

[arrowheadpuffer]

Still torn, is there any thing smaller than a tang/fox lo? I like the tomini tang, it seems to be the smallest so far, at max size. I also want to make sure the fish is very hardy and not rare/expensive.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

[LobsterOfJustice]

urchin

[jhritz]

+1 for the foxface.

[arrowheadpuffer]

urchin

Do they all eat coraline? I use to in my last tank have a blue tuxedo that I loved, except for the fact it ate coraline.

+1 for the foxface.

my reef is almost all soft coral so I fear the guy is gonna eat the corals

[A sea K]

You can get a FF Lo at a small size and this should eliminate most threat of him munching your softies. Mine was fairly large when I got him and had grown a bit more even before he started in on my LPS.
As for removal if there is a problem, my FF was very difficult to trap, I think mainly due to their overly skiddish nature.
The Tomini or one of the other Bristletooths are probably second on the list IMO for utilitarian purposes. My Kole grazes most all day on the rockwork and never seems to tire of his routine.
The Yellow Tang will add lots of color but will be the least handy of the three for algea control.

[arrowheadpuffer]

If I get a fish I plan on keeping it for life, so the more I read about a FF Lo the more it seems that it doesnt have a place in a softie reef.



What do people here think about tuxedo urchins?

[solitude127]

I like my Kole Eye Tang, but it was a bully after a while.

[addictedtofish]

Bi-color blennys have always done very well on my algae, they don't get very big though. But they eat prepared food very well and are extremely active.

[A sea K]

If I get a fish I plan on keeping it for life, so the more I read about a FF Lo the more it seems that it doesnt have a place in a softie reef.



What do people here think about tuxedo urchins?
I'm down to 1 now but they make a nice addition. Stay fairly small so no bulldozing and as long as you maintain good calcium rates I don't even notice what little corraline algea he grazes as mine seems to grow back pretty quick. This does seem to be everyones main complaint though.

[LobsterOfJustice]

I didn't get a saltwater tank so I could have a tank full of purple rocks. I got it so I could have cool junk like urchins... so not a problem for me. Never understood people's obsession with coralline.

[arrowheadpuffer]

Tuxedo it is!

Now to choose the rest of the fish for the 90g, if you can help out, here is my thread on that:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15905363#post15905363

Thanks!