Caulerpa eaters wanted

[DEAN_480]

Need help on choose a caulerpa eater.
tank specs:
65 gallon
400 watt 6500 k m/h
4 vho actinics
ro/di water
2 derasse clams
1 maxima
bubble coral
moonstone
red open brain
cup coral
finger coral
red gorgona
feather dusters
button polps
2 yellow tangs
mandril dragnet
arrow crab
25 turbo snails

I started using the the ro/di water about 8 months ago. The growth as slow a bunch. the tangs really don't touch it. I hate pulling it out. I would like to have a natural defense than my hands in there. Thanks for the help and look forward to reading your choices of defense.

 

[greatwhite]

I wish somebody would respond because I have the same problem.This stuff grows at an alarming rate.Last week I had to remove by hand and it already growing back.

 

[sub trate]

More responses please guys sounds like alot of peopl;e are having the same problem with calupera in the display tank..

 

[HARRISON]

What kind of blue tang? I have an atlantic blue. He eats algae pretty good but I really don't get a bunch growing to speak of...

IMHO Tangs are usually the best way to go. I am not sure why your tangs aren't doing their job. Are you feeding them something else. I would cut back on feeding and let them "work for food" and save you some headaches. Just an idea.

I like everyone in the reef to have a job. My unemployment rate is pretty low. Just one clown, but he is an actor and keeps me entertained. I run a tight ship

 

[64Ivy]

I have both a Sohal (needs much more room than a 65) and a Chevron (would do OK if he were your only tang) that LOOOOVE the stuff.

 

[DEAN_480]

I feed the tangs once a week, if they are luck. I agree with a working tank. Has anybody used the pet warehouse cleaner crew with sucess? I seen the have a alot of options. What kind of bio load will this be to the tank? Should i add the detriutes crew also to help with the additinal inhabits?

 

[BradB]

I had a similar situation. I added a small sailfin to cut my caulerpa, but noticed nothing for a week or two, then all of a sudden ALL the caulerpa was gone. Remember, it grows fast, so if you are seeing it slowly getting smaller, that means all the growth is being eaten, plus a little extra. I'd just wait.

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

I've a yellow tang and a blue tang and they both eat the stuff faster than it grows. Mr Blue, in particular, is a pig.

The blue tang is about 150% the size of the yellow, so he's still a baby.

To be honest I think the blue tang does most of the eating - the yellow tries to keep up but can't.

They will eat a 30cm piece in under a day. I cultivate it in my sump and add to the main tank once a week.

 

[Anonymous]

Tangs eat more than any other fish. Damsels will eat the algae as well. But to make a dent you would need quite a few. I believe some urchins will eat it,as well as,any other algae. Including the coralline. There is also a kind of nudibranch from the caribbean that eats caulerpa. But I couldn't imagine it would eat it as quick as it grows.

 

[thinhvu]

Please tell me what is caulerpa? so i can identify it. I think i get same problems(not sure).

 

[DEAN_480]

is that a pacific blue tang? My experience with them was not good. Both of them had ICH. Any more suggestions

 

[aquaguy]

What kind of caulerpa do you have? My Tang loves to eat grape caulerpa but he does not care about my sawblade caulerpa.

 

[DEAN_480]

WE HAVE TO SAWBLADE CAULERPA IT DONT GROWS AS FAST AS IT DID. THIER AT FIRST IT WAS GOING WILD. PET WAREHOUSE HAS A THING CALLED A CLEANING CREWS HAS ANYONE HAVE ANY OF THEM?

 

[kparton]

If you don't want to add a specific fish, I have a large Sally Lightfoot that goes after mine all the time. The Caulerpa is never totally gone, just nicely trimmed back.

 

[DEAN_480]

How is the sally light foot with clams and arrow cbrabs? Keeping it pruned is want I want. I like the look of it in my tank. Any more Suggestions?

 

[Anonymous]

Crop it out by hand, move it to an area that doesn't have LR and plant it in the tank as a mini refugia.

Most fish won't touch caulerpa in the long term because it is highly toxic stuff. Usually fish will graze on it, even greedily consume it at first but you usually will find that in time they will begin to reject or ignore it. It is high in akaloids and sometimes can contain a poison called caulurpicin(sp?)

Best road to take is to crop it out completely by hand, never introduce it into a main system, but keep it restricted to refugia only.

 

[DEAN_480]

I would like to find some books about caulerpa and the refugia. I'm in the dark about this concept, total and need the 5 W's to make the call on it pro & con's. Anybody else have suggestion or seconding on above info?