Bi-colored or Lawnmower Blenny?

[Catspa]

Ok I’m considering buying one or the other. I want an algae eater, but something that won’t bother my polyps (or probable wont).

I’ve heard that both may develop a taste for polyps, and may bother inverts, so what’s your experience and which would you recommend or not recommend and why?

All info and experiences appreciated.

Thanks!

[Kapelakin]

I've had both and neither bothered corals. However, I think the consensus is that the lawnmowers are more reef safe. They'll do a better job of eating hair algae, too.

[TStaut]

bicolor, definitely. They eat all types of foods, my lawnmower starved and I still feel like crap about it. He just wouldn't eat anything after he wipes out the hair algae.

 

OTOH, I had a bicolor that would eat flake, frozen, even tried to take a chunk out of my hand a couple times. Plus he was prettier and had more personality.

 

Travis

[sjpresley]

What size tank? Bi-colors aren't/won't get nearly as big. Besides they are not nearly as specialized in their feeding as lawnmowers. Pretty much any tank considered a nano wouldn't sufficiently house a lawnmower of any size, nor would it probably feed a small one unless you can convince it to eat dried nori or something.

 

An option is also to have a small spare tank just set up in front of a window to use natural sun light. No heater required, you want want to put in an air stone or small filter. Use water you siphon off for water changes for it and stick some LR rubble in the bottom to allow hair algae to grow so you can switch pieces in and out to feed your fish. A cheap easy way to culture hair algae.

[belamy]

get the one that's easiest to take care of...

[Catspa]

darn, doesn't seem to be a consensus... - well its good to know that none of you have had problems with them eating polyps.

 

So couple more questions if you don't mind.

 

1st - will the bicolor eat hair algea? even if other food sources are available?

 

2nd will the lawnmower eat dried blue green seaweed/algea, that you can buy at the stores?

 

I've curently got a line on a lawnmower thats only 2" - but havent seen any good bicolored specimins so maybe thats what will clinch it, unless i get the no go from you guys/gals.

 

thanks!

 

 

TANK - Its for a 30g Bow front, about 50lbs of live rock, lots of unidentified algea growth - grass/kelp and some other stuff that looks like freshwater plants...go figure.. anyway lots of growth - and the hair comes and goes in cycles.

[hooked]

I have had 2 lawnmowers and neither of them every touch hair algae. I have a 90g with very little hair but going through a diatom bloom stage and he its the diatoms up greatly. Good luck getting a lawnmower to eat hair algae.

[TStaut]

My Bicolor did eat some hair algae, though not nearly as much as my lawnmower. The problem was, that’s the ONLY thing (besides the glass) that my lawnmower would eat. No, it would not take any sort of seaweed supplements or other algaes.

 

This was in a 46 bowfront with about 60lb of gulf LR. He starved.

 

I say no go on the lawnmower.

[flaunt]

i occasionally witness my bi-color taking a bite out of a patch of green hair algae, but he seems to prefer meaty foods more than anything. he's pretty skittish and likes to sit in holes most of the time, but he does have a pretty cool personality for a fish. i haven't seen him bother any polyps and didn't know they were known for such behavior. mine seems pretty aggressive and will "relocate" any inverts that are small enough to be picked up and thrown. i've seen him toss a nassarius snail about 3" down onto the sandbed from his little "hideout," and every time he comes around my hermits close up in fear. i don't believe he's killed any of them, but he rarely tolerates their presence. i'd recommend a bi-color since i think they have interesting/amusing behavior and are reef-safe to my knowledge. i've never had a lawnmower, though.