Something to eat Caulerpa in 6 gal. Nano.

[Csxno1]

Hi everyone. I'm looking for something to help control my grape caulerpa in my 6 Gal. nano reef. I have a domino damsel, a clown goby, green stiped mushrooms, montiporia digitatia, and 2 types of sinularia. Oh and some green star polyps. This caulerpa has to be pruned every day or so, it grows wildly no matter how much i cut it back. Is there a fish or invert. i can use to help control it?? I really don't want to get rid of it completely, just control it.

Thanks.

Mike

 

[Reefman150]

Our Emerald Crab eats it but can not keep up with the growth. Still have to thin it out but our LFS gladly pays us a dollar a cup. About every month we get around $15. store credit. Let it grow!

 

[Anonymous]

hmm... i would just continue to prune it by hand. maybe you could just do it enough to where you only leave a tiny bit left - then you wouldn't have to do it as often.

btw - welcome to the board.

 

[Reefman150]

By the way,....it is in our refugium. No worries about it taking over the main tank. You may want to attempt getting all of it out before it takes over! The stuff multiplies faster than rabbits and dandelions. So...I take back the "let it grow' comment. :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the board! I hope you find it very helpful and PM me if I can help guide you around the site.

As for your current question, it's a tricky one.

I'd personally choose not to add more fish if it were my system, and I'm not aware of many inverts that could help beyond the suggested emerald crab. I personally avoid crabs because they seem to prefer meat if they can actually get it or catch it. I've never found a crab I could trust.

I think with a 6 gallon tank, you would do best removing excess areas by hand. This also works better at exporting nutrients by removing the algae that grows and absorbs N and P. Adding something that eats it won't remove the nutrients, but instead recycle them.

 

[danmhippo]

You could employ a small urchin. When all available food are gone, supplement it's diet with seaweed.

Welcome BTW, to RDO.

 

[Csxno1]

Thanks for the help all. I guess i'll be best off just trying to keep it pruned. It's just hard with my work schedule to always do that.If i miss a day or two then it just gets out of hand. Thanks for all the help.

Mike