What I want to explain is the types of macro algae that can be cultured in the home aquarium/refugium that most herbivores will eat. I mention Tangs a lot in this post, however much applies to other herbivores and omnivores. So many people have been attracted to keeping Anemonefishes, yet they don't understand that those fishes are omnivores. They need greens in their diet.
Lastly, in general, don't give me grief about feeding lettuce or peas to our fishes. Our fishes eat a strict seafood diet. Shun prepared foods that contain land products. . .ALL land products. Lettuce, even Romaine lettuce does not contain enough of the right kinds of fats (HUFAs) that marine fishes need. It's a waste to feed it to our fishes. So, let's begin with a question:
What macro algae do you feed your herbivores (Tangs, Rabbitfishes, etc.) and omnivores (Anemonefishes, Angels, Butterflyfishes, etc.?
I've kept the fishes that eat vegetables over the last 40+ years now. From my refugium I feed them:
Caulerpa prolifera
Gracilaria and
Halimedia opuntia
Some others you may want to try:
Varieties of Caulerpa sp. (Especially Caulerpa mexicana). Not all Tangs like all plant species of Caulerpa AND not all Tangs within the Tang species will like the same macro algae to the same degree. They will eat C. prolifera once they get used to it. Fish wholesalers grow large quantities of the red Gracilaria sp. to tempt newly acquired Tangs to eat.
Halimedia opuntia is often nice to have around. It is a calcareous algae, but some Tangs nibble on it. It helps keep Tangs 'regular' and digesting properly. In fact, tiny gravel has been found in the stomachs of Tangs. It's believed that Tangs (like parrots) take in some gravel to help with the grinding of their tough vegetable diet.
Then, there's the sea lettuce! Ulva sp. Many fish like that. It grows slowly (compared to most the Caulerpa sp.) and takes weeks (at least for me!) to settle in and 'get a grip' on rocks/substrate.
Dried Ulva sp. is now commercially available as well as many other algae we use from companies that package it for our fishes.
I have not known herbivores to eat much in the way of Chaetomorpha (that thin stringy algae particularly useful in removing nutrients from water without releasing them back in). Some aquarists claim their fish will eat it, though. Maybe other herbivores?
Macro algae can be grown in the home display system, but it has to be kept separate from the fishes -- they will eat it and prevent its growth. That is one very good use of a refugium. The macro algae picks up nitrates and other nutrients from the aquarium water and grows on it in the light. Also the growing of macro algae has been shown to put some aloe-like products into the water which supposedly is of benefit for fish health. Lastly there is some research into the release of antibiotics in small quantities from home-grown algae. There are many benefits to growing algae in a refugium, in addition to using it as a fish food source. You need a proper light, water circulation from the home aquarium, fish and invertebrates that produce the waste products they eat, and micro elements regularly added to the water (especially extra iron). By the way, the 'refugium' doesn't have to be a large tank. It can be a small hang on box with a pump circulating water through it (like a hang-on filter, only instead of filter material, it contains algae and (if it's the kind that needs a substrate) some substrate in the box. It just needs a light on it. This works well if your aquarium is smallish (40 gallons or less).
There is an important downside to using homegrown macro algae -- its nutritional value is only as good as the nutrients in your aquarium. Your aquarium is not a piece of the ocean. The salt we use is not the same as salt water in the ocean. Look at the salt water ingredients -- contents are way different than ocean water and in some cases this is good -- our salt contains too much calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium because our marine creatures use this up rather fast. So our salt is not true ocean salt and our aquarium water is NOT a piece of the ocean.
What I'm saying is that you can't provide your homegrown macro algae the same nutrtion as it would get in the ocean. THUS, you must be sure to include wild harvested macro algae in your fish's diet. Don't forget this.
There are those that claim you shouldn't feed herbivores macro algae from the refugium. The concern is that the algae has removed nutrients from the aquarium system, so feeding it to the fishes would be putting those nutrients back into the system. It is true; that is exactly what is/will happen.
But what do those people think is in the packaged algae they feed their herbivores? It's the same nutrients that the macro algae in the refugium took out. So, there is no loss or gain in nutrient content so long as the macro algae is healthy. One BIG gain is to be able to feed your herbivores with greens that are 'fresh' and alive.
I put a bowling-ball size clump of mixed algae from my 100g refugium in my 300g aquarium and the fish chew it down in about 3 days.
I would urge all those who keep herbivores NOT to buy Nori for their fishes. Nori is a macro algae for human consumption that has no standards for how it is processed or what kinds of algae it contains. It has been known to have additives for flavoring and preservation. It's not worth the risk, even if the price is attractive. Some Nori is baked rather than "raw." It can be dry, but it shouldn't be cooked, and it is hard to tell the difference. Not a concern for humans, but not the best thing to feed fish. Lastly, you can't really trust labeling on nori. People tell me their nori is sun dried and the packaged is marked "oven baked." What am I supposed to believe? By-pass this algae.
For those who purchase their algae, packaged for marine herbivore fishes, try to get a variety. Green is the usual and staple one to provide. But every third feeding should include one of the other colors. Large/full sized Angelfish should like the red algae. The purple is readily accepted. I have yet to get much enthusiasm from my fishes when I try to feed them brown algae, but they do and will accept yellows.
Note also that you can now purchase living macro algae from sources that post on the Internet. Check it out on eBay and also check the Internet by doing a search. Adding to this thought, I have found raw, uncooked algae in some very large Chinese and Asian markets/grocery stores. All of these fresh macro algae should be rinsed in marine water (something to use your exchanged water for!), and then a quick rinse in RO/DI. I would be concerned about the source of the algae and if you have concern, just freeze it for a couple of days, then thaw and use it. Just as good (maybe better since it will be easier to digest) as if it was unfrozen. This will kill all hitchhikers and obligate parasites that might be carried into your home aquarium.
What kind of macro algae does your herbivores/omnivore eat? Do you feed it often? If you raise your own, do you still throw some or all of it away? Did you remember to include wild macro algae in your fish's diet? Do you feed your fish enough macro algae -- Read this: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...41782-how-feed-macro-alage-marine-fishes.html
Don't forget the other parts of their diet: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...eeding-marine-fish-marine-fish-nutrition.html
Lastly, in general, don't give me grief about feeding lettuce or peas to our fishes. Our fishes eat a strict seafood diet. Shun prepared foods that contain land products. . .ALL land products. Lettuce, even Romaine lettuce does not contain enough of the right kinds of fats (HUFAs) that marine fishes need. It's a waste to feed it to our fishes. So, let's begin with a question:
What macro algae do you feed your herbivores (Tangs, Rabbitfishes, etc.) and omnivores (Anemonefishes, Angels, Butterflyfishes, etc.?
I've kept the fishes that eat vegetables over the last 40+ years now. From my refugium I feed them:
Caulerpa prolifera
Gracilaria and
Halimedia opuntia
Some others you may want to try:
Varieties of Caulerpa sp. (Especially Caulerpa mexicana). Not all Tangs like all plant species of Caulerpa AND not all Tangs within the Tang species will like the same macro algae to the same degree. They will eat C. prolifera once they get used to it. Fish wholesalers grow large quantities of the red Gracilaria sp. to tempt newly acquired Tangs to eat.
Halimedia opuntia is often nice to have around. It is a calcareous algae, but some Tangs nibble on it. It helps keep Tangs 'regular' and digesting properly. In fact, tiny gravel has been found in the stomachs of Tangs. It's believed that Tangs (like parrots) take in some gravel to help with the grinding of their tough vegetable diet.
Then, there's the sea lettuce! Ulva sp. Many fish like that. It grows slowly (compared to most the Caulerpa sp.) and takes weeks (at least for me!) to settle in and 'get a grip' on rocks/substrate.
Dried Ulva sp. is now commercially available as well as many other algae we use from companies that package it for our fishes.
I have not known herbivores to eat much in the way of Chaetomorpha (that thin stringy algae particularly useful in removing nutrients from water without releasing them back in). Some aquarists claim their fish will eat it, though. Maybe other herbivores?
Macro algae can be grown in the home display system, but it has to be kept separate from the fishes -- they will eat it and prevent its growth. That is one very good use of a refugium. The macro algae picks up nitrates and other nutrients from the aquarium water and grows on it in the light. Also the growing of macro algae has been shown to put some aloe-like products into the water which supposedly is of benefit for fish health. Lastly there is some research into the release of antibiotics in small quantities from home-grown algae. There are many benefits to growing algae in a refugium, in addition to using it as a fish food source. You need a proper light, water circulation from the home aquarium, fish and invertebrates that produce the waste products they eat, and micro elements regularly added to the water (especially extra iron). By the way, the 'refugium' doesn't have to be a large tank. It can be a small hang on box with a pump circulating water through it (like a hang-on filter, only instead of filter material, it contains algae and (if it's the kind that needs a substrate) some substrate in the box. It just needs a light on it. This works well if your aquarium is smallish (40 gallons or less).
There is an important downside to using homegrown macro algae -- its nutritional value is only as good as the nutrients in your aquarium. Your aquarium is not a piece of the ocean. The salt we use is not the same as salt water in the ocean. Look at the salt water ingredients -- contents are way different than ocean water and in some cases this is good -- our salt contains too much calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium because our marine creatures use this up rather fast. So our salt is not true ocean salt and our aquarium water is NOT a piece of the ocean.
What I'm saying is that you can't provide your homegrown macro algae the same nutrtion as it would get in the ocean. THUS, you must be sure to include wild harvested macro algae in your fish's diet. Don't forget this.
There are those that claim you shouldn't feed herbivores macro algae from the refugium. The concern is that the algae has removed nutrients from the aquarium system, so feeding it to the fishes would be putting those nutrients back into the system. It is true; that is exactly what is/will happen.
But what do those people think is in the packaged algae they feed their herbivores? It's the same nutrients that the macro algae in the refugium took out. So, there is no loss or gain in nutrient content so long as the macro algae is healthy. One BIG gain is to be able to feed your herbivores with greens that are 'fresh' and alive.
I put a bowling-ball size clump of mixed algae from my 100g refugium in my 300g aquarium and the fish chew it down in about 3 days.
I would urge all those who keep herbivores NOT to buy Nori for their fishes. Nori is a macro algae for human consumption that has no standards for how it is processed or what kinds of algae it contains. It has been known to have additives for flavoring and preservation. It's not worth the risk, even if the price is attractive. Some Nori is baked rather than "raw." It can be dry, but it shouldn't be cooked, and it is hard to tell the difference. Not a concern for humans, but not the best thing to feed fish. Lastly, you can't really trust labeling on nori. People tell me their nori is sun dried and the packaged is marked "oven baked." What am I supposed to believe? By-pass this algae.
For those who purchase their algae, packaged for marine herbivore fishes, try to get a variety. Green is the usual and staple one to provide. But every third feeding should include one of the other colors. Large/full sized Angelfish should like the red algae. The purple is readily accepted. I have yet to get much enthusiasm from my fishes when I try to feed them brown algae, but they do and will accept yellows.
Note also that you can now purchase living macro algae from sources that post on the Internet. Check it out on eBay and also check the Internet by doing a search. Adding to this thought, I have found raw, uncooked algae in some very large Chinese and Asian markets/grocery stores. All of these fresh macro algae should be rinsed in marine water (something to use your exchanged water for!), and then a quick rinse in RO/DI. I would be concerned about the source of the algae and if you have concern, just freeze it for a couple of days, then thaw and use it. Just as good (maybe better since it will be easier to digest) as if it was unfrozen. This will kill all hitchhikers and obligate parasites that might be carried into your home aquarium.
What kind of macro algae does your herbivores/omnivore eat? Do you feed it often? If you raise your own, do you still throw some or all of it away? Did you remember to include wild macro algae in your fish's diet? Do you feed your fish enough macro algae -- Read this: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...41782-how-feed-macro-alage-marine-fishes.html
Don't forget the other parts of their diet: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...eeding-marine-fish-marine-fish-nutrition.html