Comments on: What Is The Best Algae Eater?

By: michelle

michelle — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:29:22 +0000

Nope, nothing scaring it. (Thanks for replying! ) He just liked going in there, I have watched the silly goof swim up to the top, swim around for a bit, (no one is near him) then he jumps right over the overflow wall into the overflow, hangs out in the bottom for a bit, then apparently gets sucked up through the intake, into my sump/refugium. Crazy. The last time he did it – I left him in there for a day – and when I took him out I put him in a pvc pipe, and lowered it next to a rock, he quickly went under the rock and hasn’t tried his silly maneuver since. I am happy to report he is sifting like crazy! Thanks!
.-= michelle´s last blog .. =-.

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:46:52 +0000

Mine never even comes close to the surface… is something scaring it? Does your overflow have teeth? You might want to DIY a screen for the top of the overflow. The only time mine ever comes near the surface is when he is chasing food, so if thats what yours is doing I’d suggest turning off the return pump during feedings (good thing to do anyway). Hope this helps.

By: michelle

michelle — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:23:44 +0000

Question to the diamond goby owners:
How do you keep yours in the tank?
I have never had a problem in the past….. so when I recently brought one home, all he does is JUMP into the overflow. I have scooped him out of my refugium filter bed, and put him right back in the main display, and bam! He swims right up and jumps over the overflow wall right away! Any idea what gives? Overflow is too deep, can’t scoop him out. Either he has to jump back over, or take the ride through the hose again…..:(
.-= michelle´s last blog .. =-.

By: Kris

Kris — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:41:16 +0000

ok, so I know this is an old article but I wanted to chime in on the Diamond Goby thing. I have found that mine keeps the sand bed pristine, and I think that is normal, but what surprised me is he helps with hair algae as well. I have a little bit of a hair algae infestation ever since my money cowreys died (seems they found something in my power head intake irrisistable) that used to eat it. The Goby will tear at the hair algae ripping it out from its roots, ingesting the small bits it gets and taking the larger bits to its caves, presumably to help shore them up. He by no means is sufficient for the job but I wasn’t expecting him to touch the stuff. I’m still on the lookout for more money cowries from my local LFS.

By: John

John — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 13:22:42 +0000

Snails are the main resource for the control of algae (after the aquarist has set up good husbandry practices that is). Nature has provided a good variety to do specialist jobs and general ones.
Interesting to hear of the Diamond Goby, though from your comments it seems a bit ‘hit and miss’.

By: mathwhiz

mathwhiz — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 06:01:58 +0000

In the past, we have had wonderful luck with the diamond goby in controlling algea, although after it died (don’t know why), the last one we bought to replace it, didn’t seem to do as well of a job and didn’t live long either (possibly something wrong with it when we bought it). I read some really good things about aquatic hermit crabs – which we purchased a few and they started out doing pretty good – but now just seem to try to hide under the decor. – haven’t tried snails at all though.