Valonia

[Anonymous]

The Valonia (green bubble algae) is getting out of control in my tank. I have tried 2 emerald crabs over the past few months but they do not seem to last more that a week. They have worked for me in the past.

Is there anything else I can try before I try another crab?

 

[Anonymous]

Are they the big bubble kind or the smaller ones? I have the smaller ones in my nano and they get OUT of control. Only thing I've found that eats them is my Red Sea Desjardin tang.

 

[D.W.L.]

Rob, I had somewhat of a similar problem, inherited from a friend with frags. Mostly just siphoned them out during water change but was loosing ground.

A few weeks ago I was at the store to pick up my new tank and planned on getting some emeralds as I only had one. Figured on 3 or 4 in my 35g. He showed me some Indo red coloured ones. First time I have ever seen them and any type of crab looks scary to me. I bought two and a green. The reds eat steady. Picking in cracks, etc.. I cant find any hardly any bubble algae now. Did it just go away or did they eat it, is anyones guess.

Seem to be reef safe and from what I googled. My friend at the store said they get them in always and never had a problem. I suppose like any crabs, as long as they are not hungry, they are safe.

Other than a red mithrax crab, dont know if its called something else. I try to keep a close eye on mine for behaviour patterns, as any type of mithrax have been know to turn on corals on occasion.

In my friends large tank, where the algae came from, he does have a red sea sailfin that eats it and also a young orange shoulder tank that seem to eat it a bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Might just want to chalk this one up to daily maintenance. I occasionally see some of the larger ones pop up in my tank, and it becomes a matter of putting a siphon hose over them when I'm doing water changes and just removing them manually that way (siphon in case they pop).

 

[Anonymous]

Rabbitfish work.

I've had regular a regular fox-face, a magnificent and a scribbled over the years who ate it with gusto. Rabbitfish are way better algae controllers than surgeon fish but they are much more likely to sample / peck at corals than surgeons too so beware.

 

[Ben1]

I have a regular foxface in my tank, doesn't touch the stuff. IME best controll is just to pull it out as you see it. I got a long 12" pair of forceps and just grab it when I see it.

 

[Anonymous]

I cut mine down to almost none in the tank by pulling by hand and using GFO.