A to Z about reef saving algae eaters

Are you unable to control the algae growth in your aquarium? Need some tips?

Well, what about algae eating critters?

You are confused which algae eater will be worth solving your problem, right? Also, you are worried about their nature and eating habits!

Here, we present a quick guide to help you in the selection of algae-eaters. But, if you think algae eating critters will be harmful, or these will make your aquarium unnecessarily clumsy, take a look at some of the importance of algae-eating critters below.

Why algae eating critters?

Actually, it is a bit difficult to stop algae from growing, and algae-eaters help to maintain the balance in your tank. Remember, too many algae will lead to a suffocating condition to your fish, and too little algae will signify shortage of food for your fish. You will need to know the exact quantity of algae in your aquarium in terms of the number of fishes and then, select the algae eaters. Along with that, remember, shortly after changing the water, you can see algae to appear. Also, algae control methods like nitrate and phosphate reduction, water change will only control the algae growth, but the use of algae eaters will actually fix the problem.  In the saltwater tanks, these algae-eating critters not only help to reduce algae but also it keeps the aquarium clean. If you want to get rid of unwanted algae growth and protect the reefs for a long run, algae-eating critters or algivore is your solution.

Here, four best reef safe algae eaters along with their specifications are listed:

Reef safe snails

These particular herbivores critters stay on the wall or rocks of the aquarium and thereby clean the glass and rocks from excessive algae growth. You can select Margarita Snail, Mexican Turbo Snail or Banded Trochus Snails according to your preference. These are 3 to 6 inches in length, and these are so much dependent on algae that they die due to the shortage of diatoms, green hair algae, and cyanobacteria. If you are looking for small critters these will be the best choice for you.

Hermit crabs

Shocked to see crabs in the list? Well, these crabs will not harm the fishes at all. These are the harmless crabs which consume algae and herbs. Yes, that’s all they intake! Are you also worried about the mess the crabs generally create? Well, these crabs will keep crawling on the rocks, and they will hardly shuffle the objects in your tank. Also, these are small in size (approximately 1 or 2 inches) which means they will take least place to live. You can find a variety of crabs like Dwarf Yellow Tip Hermit Crab, Dwarf zebra Hermit Crab, electric orange hermit crab, scarlet reef Hermit crab and so on. One thing, you must understand from their names that their colors will enhance the elegance of your tank.

Nipping tangs

These critters consume any herbs and algae they come across. It scrapes the algae with its bristle tooth and keeps the tank clean. But, these tangs are 5 inches in length. If you can allow that space in your aquarium, this one is for you.

Reef safe blennies

These are completely herbivores critters which can help you to solve excessive algae problem. Along with that, these will not harm the reefs. Just like the snails, these will stay on the glass and rocks of your tank and keep them free from algae. These are available in various sizes ranging from 2.5 inches to 5 inches. These will keep your aquarium clean and healthy. Short Bodied Blenny and Linear Blenny are highly recommended for those who want the smaller ones. For those, who are looking for the good looking ones, Starry Blenny or Two spot blenny will be good choice.

Well, that’s all. Hopefully, this guide can make your task of choosing algae eaters a bit easier.