Good inverts for my tank?

[Jacob Abshire]

Hi, I have been having a problem with hair algae lately. I use R.O. water and the tank has been set up for quite a while. What I want are any peaceful inverts that like to eat lots of algae! I have some hermits in there now, but that is about it. I was thinking some more hermits and some sally lightfoot crabs. Any thing else that eats a lot of algae? Thanks, Jacob.

[Sting]

Turbo/Astrea Snails, Emerald Crabs, Hermits (Lots!) are good choices. Nudibrach's can work in some cases- Lettuce- check out some of the inverts on www.liveaquaria.com and read the descriptions. It will tell you what kind of algea they specifically eat, and they even offer packages for all different sizes of aquairums. It's a great site for information- and to buy from, whether you're interested in fish, corals, inverts, LR os LS or just some quality information/aquarium supplies.

[kreblak]

I had a serious green hair algae problem until I added a candy striped cleaner shrimp. He went crazy on the algae buildup. The only down side is that he can't get very high up on the glass. For that job, I have found a combination of trochus, turbo, and astrea snails do marvelous work.

[Joey D]

I think tangs are herbivores and will eat algae. Also, a uv sterilizer will control the growth of algae, but you have to get rid of the algae first. They sell a phosphate removing chemical, but in order for it to work right you need to have a protein skimmer, because the chemical bonds to the phosphates and must be skimmed out or else it will just release the phosphates back in about 24 hours.

[mogurnda]

Your best bets are probably scarlet hermits and emerald crabs, neither of which is 100% trustworthy. You say you have some hermits already, how many, how big a tank? Snails generally don't touch hair algae. Tangs need a lot of room.

[Jacob Abshire]

I have 5 hermits now in a 46 gal tank. I had other shrimp and crabs etc. but my CBS and/or my brittle star ate them. I just got rid of them and am going to start putting more shrimp and things in there. I am planning on some cleaner shrimp as well as some peperment shrimp and maybe a sallylight foot crab.

Are emerald crabs reef safe? I saw one at a store one day and they feed it live gold fish. I don't want something that will eat my fish!

Off topic to Sting.

I am also a huge LOTR fan! I loved the first movie, but did not like the second as much. The whole thing with Farmir (spelling is way off on these names) taking the hobbits and golum off in my opnion ruined the whole goal of that part of the book. Any way I rant about that all of the time :) Later, Jake.

[Ray Pollett]

One of the problems with some of the clean up crews is feeding them. If you do not feed them enough they starve after cleaning a tank and may attack other animals for food. Once a tank is cleaned up by them, you have to increase the food going into the tank to satisfy their needs.

Ray

[Sting]

Well, let's see- I ahve always been in favor of Emerald's just becasue out of all the terrible stories I hear about crabs- they are in the least. Also, many people keep them, and if you provide for them correctly, you may not have any problems at all. I can safely say, though, that Emeralds are definitely a better choice than a Salleylightfoot. Now, I'm not speaking from experience, but I have heard many war stories with them, as well as many stories of CBS tearing their legs off- so your CBS may be a problem there.

If the only algea you are having problems with is hair, then hermits (realize some people put as many as 2 per Gallon in their tank- that's nearly a 100 in your case) are going to be a great option for you- although like any crabs you may have some problems with them killing your snails for shells ect...Now I wouldn't recommend 100 hermits for you, and I'm not trying to, but 5 is not enough to make even a dent in your hair algea. I'd honeslty recommend about 25 for a tank your size. And Emeralds, if you can keep them fed and keep up with their needs, I'd say 3.

Good luck, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

[Ray Pollett]

I've used both Emeralds and SallyLightfoot crabs without any problems in the tank. But I feed mine.

Ray