Tough Algae!

EagleEyes

EagleEyes

Member
So i have a 1o gallon nano, live rock and the like, the micro organism's are prospering, etc. What my problem is, is that i have a very basic algae, that i wanted to call hair algae at first, but decided that this is no regular fine filamented algae. This algae has a tubular body structure, it has what you might call a parenchymatous growth (it stems from the cells of the original stalk, like a tree branching type thing.) I have some sponges in the aquarium, that seem to stay alive, i think, because of the algaes' sperm that fertilize the eggs, which ive seen under a microscope, sitting on the outside of the stalk of this algae.
Now, my question is, what algae grazer can i get, that is both interesting and able to withstand a barage from my bristle worms. The bristleworms have been known to demolish a brittle star in seconds. I have had snails before and i would like some now, but im stuck. I need a fast, hard footed snail that can live alongside these nasty worms. Any suggestions? (ill even accept suggestions for a predator to the bristleworms.)
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
Can you get a pic of the algae? If it has fern type stems then it might be the dreaded bryopsis.

Killer bristleworms?....Are you sure the starfish wasn't deing or dead already? Most bristleworms are scavengers and are part of an important clean-up crew. I would carefully remove any large bristleworms with forceps or some other 'grabber'. Depending on the size of the worm, you could try to make a trap using a shot-glass (the tall ones) or a larger glass or plastic container; place a piece of raw shrimp (or any seafood with a strong scent) at the bottom and set it in the tank with a slope. The idea is that the worms can go in but can not climb out because of the slick glass. If you have sand, you can push the bottom into the sand making the lip of glass closer to the sandbed making it easier for the worms to go in.
 
EagleEyes

EagleEyes

Member
It is bryopsis i think, i saw some drawings of them at a university site just now and it matches very closely. It isn't as thick, but it does have that type of growing habit. They didn't show the sexual cycle, but from one of their drawings im sure that it was - because the holdfast could grow on the parent plant after the egg is fertilized. Plus the way they explained the life cycle was dead on from what i can tell. heres the link: http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/guide/green11.html

So anyone have any good ideas as to snails? Im definitely going to try the trap for the worms. I think i tried once before and it worked, but its been a while, so im due. But in the mean time i might like a brightly colored snail *NO CRABS* with the potential to breed well etc.
 
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daveat

Member
hmm a brightly colored snail... only thing i can think of is a bumble bee... other than that you can try sea hares, i really like my bumble bees and ceriths. your best bet might be to get a fish that eats algae, personally i like the diversity that algae adds to my tank
 
EagleEyes

EagleEyes

Member
Oh don't get me wrond, i even want to study algae in college. I'd like to see some of my rock every once in a while too. Bumble Bee sounds interesting, ill check it out! There is an interesting snail that my professor told me about but i didn't have a pencil a the time so ill post the name and a pic if I can later. In the mean time I had a smaller cerith and it was working out for a while. I do like them.
 
BrothaWolf

BrothaWolf

Well-Known Member
Get a mexican turbo snail or 2 They will rip through your algae. You can paint smiley faces on em to brighten them up.
 
EagleEyes

EagleEyes

Member
DRAW on my snails? Hmm.. i thought it was wierd when i saw the Barbie hermit crab shells at the store, but maybe your right. I was looking for more the natural beauty though. I will ask some people at the university here about it. I got one recommendation but i didn't have a pencil and i can't remember what it was. It was from the Gulf of California though.
 
2455coop

2455coop

Member
Personally I don't like the Mexican turbos. They get too big and move my rocks around. Bumble bees are a great snail. Lots of color and move around alot. I prefer Astrea and Nassarius as well. I like the looks of the fighting conchs as well.
 
surfzone

surfzone

Member
I would borrow a queen conch from the lfs to eat the algae and get a coral banded shrimp to eat the bristle worms. I haven't run into an algae that a queen conch wouldn't eat.
 
EagleEyes

EagleEyes

Member
I wasn't thinking of the Mexican Turbo's, turbo's are a little too normal for me. A Queen Conch you say though? Do i just ask about it? I did not know that i could borrow one from the LFS.. i probably wouldn't do that. I will post the name of the herbivore that my prof told me about, when i ask him what it was.

I am interested in the shrimp though, i will look into it after i post. Thanks!
 
G

Ganomish

Member
Hey Eagle Eyes,
Hate to say it, but herbivorous snails are not usually pretty. My Mex Turbos are by far the best at controlling algaes, especially tougher stuff.
WARNING, bumble bees have been known to go carnivore. Do some research before trying them.
(Note: Conchs really need a lot of space, a 10 gal nano sounds WAY too small for any conch)
Good Luck.
Ganomish
 
Triggerjay

Triggerjay

Well-Known Member
Is a queen conch reef safe? I am making a list of a cleanup crew for my 29g. is a 29 too small for a queen? As of right now, I only have one snail in the tank.. I did not know what kind he was until just now, I did a pic search on google using the snail names in this thread. Turnes out he is a mexican turbo. He does a great job of alge control... Almost keeps my glass alge free. I guess I will have to name him Paco now! LOL

Jason
 
EagleEyes

EagleEyes

Member
Yeah conchs aren't what i was thinking of. I also was thinkin that turbos are great for tanks that have massive amounts of red coraline algae, and since i have all this green filamentous algae that i would look for a snail that does that kind of thing. Ill look at those Turbos del Mexicana though thx!
 
lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
I love my conchs. Queen conchs for the rocks and fighting conchs for the sand. They are wonderful for the algae and look really cool with their long trunk and eye stalks.
 
Wooden Harpoon

Wooden Harpoon

Member
I'm glad I stumbled in here. I need a snail. Conch is out of the question. Mexican Turbo comes highly recommended. I wonder if more than 1 is too many?
 
D

ddols

New Member
I just got 2 Astraea snails in my newly cycled 24 gallon to deal with the developing brownish colored and hair algae. I would like to nip those in the bud before they get to out of hand. I just hope they don't go after my developing red coralline algae to aggressively.
 
lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
Snails won't bother the corraline. It is too hard for them and I guess it doesn't taste very good. They just go right over it. Trust me. I wish they would eat it. :)
 
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