Swissguard Basslet Temporary Tankmate Question

[consreef]

Hey all, looking for some advice.

 

I've got a swissguard basslet in a 15 gallon AIO mixed reef tank. This tank is currently dealing with a hair algae issue (still going through the ugly phase, tank was started about two months ago), and I was considering temporarily adding my flametail blenny to this tank to help eat some of the algae. I'm doing frequent water changes and have also added various species of macroalgae to help remove some of the excess nutrients in the tank, but my clean-up crew isn't doing much and I really don't want to have to take all the live rock out and scrub off the algae if I can avoid it.

 

The swissguard basslet is bigger than my flametail (he's about 2.5 inches, blenny is barely two inches long) and I've heard that they can sometimes be semi-aggressive. Does anyone have experience with these fish? I just want to make sure he won't bully my blenny to death. TIA

[mcarroll]

Things that will make your algae worse:

49 minutes ago, consreef said:

I've got a swissguard basslet in a 15 gallon AIO mixed reef tank. [2 months old]

49 minutes ago, consreef said:

frequent water changes

49 minutes ago, consreef said:

added various species of macroalgae

49 minutes ago, consreef said:

take all the live rock out and scrub off the algae

 

Don't do any of those things.

 

Instead, do this...

 

Start by testing your water and logging all data for future reference.   Would like salinity, temperature, alk, no3 and po4 at minimum.   Ca and Mg too if you have them.

 

Next, post that data here.

 

Next, post a full tank picture here.  Post a closeup of the algae under regular daylight if you need it to be ID'd. 

 

Next begin removing the algae that your CUC can't eat because you let it get too long.  That happened because A) you waited too long before adding CUC, B) turned on the lights too soo, C) you added too few CUC and D) added a fish too soon.  🙂   CUC can't eat long algae – they literally don't have teeth to bite it off the rock.  They need baby algae.

 

If the CUC you have isn't keeping up with your efforts at removing algae (ie you see significant grow-back) then you need more CUC.

 

Make sure you're adding herbivores and not scavengers.   You want (eg) Turbo, Trochus, Astrea, Cerith, Nerite snails.   No need for other snails or hermits at this point.

 

Depending on the data you reply with, there may be more guidance to come.  👍

 

If you have hair algae (it's the most popular) then here's a good guide on how to remove it without making a mess....and a good tip on how many snails it "can" take (ignore other advice):

 

[TheKleinReef]

6 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Things that will make your algae worse:

please explain every single point here. because lol what

 

[consreef]

Yeah I'm gonna be honest I'm pretty confused as well? I started with wet live rock from LFS (way more than enough because I wanted the swissguard to feel safe/mimic their cave-y natural habitat), made sure to completely cycle the tank for two and a half weeks (more than enough time because I started with wet rock), and perform 25% water changes each week. I only added one fish (which I give a mix of frozen, pellet, and live copepods, though I'm very careful to make sure to not over feed). Lights run for twelve hours a day and are only on 60% brightness (I don't have any high light corals, and the swissguard comes from deeper water anyways). My CUC consists of a single scarlet hermit, a few very small blue leg hermits, one nassarius, and a mix of several turbo and astrea snails. I added macroalgae to absorb some of the nutrients in the tank, which would combat the growth of excess hair algae. I don't let the algae get long. I remove it, and the only algae left is growing close to the rock so it's difficult to remove without disturbing everything in the tank.

 

I've been in this hobby for almost ten years at this point, and I have four nano tanks currently running. I'm not an idiot or new to this by any means. I don't really understand where this advice is coming from. And also there was no answer to my question here about whether or not these two fish could get along temporarily?

[TheKleinReef]

42 minutes ago, consreef said:

I don't really understand where this advice is coming from

Yeah that’s what this guy does. Lol

[mcarroll]

The fish will go with the overall plan.

7 hours ago, consreef said:

there was no answer to my question here about whether or not these two fish could get along temporarily?

 

[mcarroll]

8 hours ago, consreef said:

I don't really understand where this advice is coming from.

You literally asked for advice, so I don't think it should be a total mystery. 😉 

 

10 hours ago, consreef said:

Hey all, looking for some advice.

 

FYI, you only have 10 posts so far and didn't mention any of that other background stuff until now.  I do not read minds. 😉  

 

Also FYI, this is an (mostly) unmoderated public forum (mostly) full of nice volunteers.  Just so you know, folks give and get free advice here regularly – worth the price paid every time.

 

If there is really any mystery to what I posted, you said the fish was to handle algae.  My post was simply some fundamentals about eliminating algae – nothing strange.

 

You'll probably get other answers too – mine don't have to be your favorite.  I'm sure whoever else chimes in on the thread, their answer will be MORE ON POINT and be about fish.

 

I'm glad you have the situation on lockdown.  👍

[TheKleinReef]

10 hours ago, mcarroll said:

😉 

 

10 hours ago, mcarroll said:

mine don't have to be your favorite

 

ayyyyy now he's getting it

[TheKleinReef]

21 hours ago, consreef said:

hair algae issue

 

all trolling aside.

 

have you considered dosing hydrogen peroxide. I was in a situation where I neglected the tank after a crash and had a big overtake of hair algae. Even though i tested 0ppm nitrate and 0.07 phosphate (still struggling with that 0ppm) the hair algae was the primary consumer of the nutrients. It's a vicious cycle. I broke it by dosing hydrogen peroxide straight into the tank. I did 50mL in 80g (~0.6mL/gal) and within 2 weeks it was gone and it never came back. It also took out some weird pink turf algae.

 

If the goal is have two fish, because you want two fish that is a separate issue.

If you're worried about aggression you can get one of those acclimation boxes, or put in a divider to introduce a new fish.

The last swissguard I had was sooooooo timid. It was the bullied, not the bully.

[Koleswrath]

22 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Things that will make your algae worse:

Don't do any of those things.

 

 

 

I'm actually really on edge about this comment. I rely on water changes for almost everything in my tank. 

-I don't dose anything other than kalkwasser so I need the mag and trace elements from water changes

-I don't have a skimmer or chemical filtration so I directly control my nutrient levels via water changes 

 

I'd like to know why and how they'll contribute to algae problems (I don't want algae in my tank and don't really want to rely on snails). Maybe you're talking about reducing nutrients too much which we all know is just as bad as overly high nutrients? Some clarification would be great for my peace of mind.

Thanks

 

[TheKleinReef]

[mcarroll]

10 hours ago, Koleswrath said:

Maybe you're talking about reducing nutrients too much which we all know is just as bad as overly high nutrients?

👍 Yes, more or less.  

 

In a new tank, too low of nutrients actually favors pest algae growth.  

 

On the other hand, you almost can't have too high of nutrients.   There's so much demand as the micro-plants and animals grow and spread to populate the rock.  When you have an algae bloom at the same time, that creates even more demand for nutrients.

 

Even in an older tank, that being a problem is sort of a myth.  Many notable tanks (and many many more like mine which you never hear about) run very successfully with SUPER high nutrients and don't have algae problems.  I'm talking about phosphate and nitrate readings that peg the test kits.

 

10 hours ago, Koleswrath said:

I rely on water changes for almost everything in my tank. 

-I don't dose anything other than kalkwasser so I need the mag and trace elements from water changes

-I don't have a skimmer or chemical filtration so I directly control my nutrient levels via water changes 

A simple way to adapt is to dose nutrients into your water change water so that NO3 and PO4 levels in the display won't be affected.  Then you can do water changes for all other needs.

 

I would consider maintaining ≥ 0.10 ppm PO4 and ≥ 5 ppm NO3 at least for the grow-in/Uglies phase of the tank.  (Not sure what levels you are targeting currently.)

 

10 hours ago, Koleswrath said:

I don't want algae in my tank and don't really want to rely on snails

This is the only minor rub I see in your system so far.  

 

Herbivores do ALL of the algae control on a real reef.....and in almost all reef tanks.   When the herbivores go away, algae takes over.  

 

Snails are by far the most effective herbivores available to us.  Cheapest too.

 

👍 That said, if you think your blenny can do it, the that's great and I hope he does.  In general with fish, they are unreliable on CUC-duty...defnitely wouldn't recommend going out and buying one for that purpose....but since you have one already....probably worth a try if you can catch him with minimal stress.  👍

 

If the Lawnmower doesn't work out, could you consider stocking up on snails, but only until the algae bloom passes?  Then trade most of them away.  If you have just the right amount of snails they usually sleep during the day anyway.  If you find them cruising the glass and rocks 24/7 they might be starving or unable to eat the algae present because it has grown too long.   FYI, I have two tennis-ball sized Turbo snails than I never see unless I go look in their hiding spots.  😉