Hippo or Sailfin Tang better for Hair Algea??

[BBReefkeeper]

I don't have a significant amount of hair algea in my tank but I would like to have a herbivore in my tank to keep down hair and macro algeas. The ones that I enjoy most are the blue hippo and pacific sailfin. I also like bi-colored blennies. Anyone had any luck with these fish?
P.S. lets assume my tank size and swimming area is reasonable for tangs. : )
Thanks
Bryan

 

[kjb]

I had a terrible hair algae problem and probably overdid it by getting an emerald green crab, sally lightfoot crab and a very small sailfin tang. The tang wasn't in the tank for more than two minutes before he started to eat the hair algae! Looks all cleaned up now.
It will probably get too large for the tank and need to be traded for something some day in the future, but for now it is a very cute little thing happily grazing and eating flake food too. Seems to be best buddies with my baby panther grouper, who will also outgrow the tank, Im sure...

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: kjb ]

 

[danmhippo]

Sailfin & yellow tang are my favorites

 

[cubera]

We enjoy our Sailfin. We also enjoy our Scopus, Yellow, and Kole tangs! Bicolor blennies tend to eat things you don't want eaten so be careful.

 

[davelin315]

Between the sailfin and the hippo, the sailfin (and any other tang shaped similarly with the long nose) will be a better hair algae eater.

 

[Nathan1]

Sailfin.

I have both and the Sailfin is better at nosing into small cracks.

Also, try some scarlet hermits, baha hermits and the Hawaiian blue eyed left hand hermits. I have one hermit per 2 gallons of tank size.

-Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

hippo tangs are primarily plankton feeders and won't do anything for your hair algae. Just about any other tang species would be better for that.

 

[monkeyboy]

Finally somoeone who isn't scared by hermit crabs! Whenever i have dropped a rock with some hair or other algae on it the crabs swarm over it and it's clean in minutes.

I agree, the sailfin tang would be better, my flame angel eats more algae than my hippo.

 

[Iron]

ditto. The zebra...species are the better hair eaters.

 

[fsa]

My hippo doesn't seem to touch the algae. My condolences and prayers to the survivors' families of the horrific terrorists acts yesterday.