Weird question!

[tehfeer]

Is there anyway to promote algae growth? I know most of us try to get rid of algae but I am starting to get a little worried that my lawnmower blenny may starve to death if I don't manage to grow some. He was so fat for a while and now hes starting to get skinny. I feed the tank 1/2-1 frozen cube of food a day along with a few pellets at various times.

I was thinking about leaving my lights on longer and maybe feeding a little more. Currently I my nitrates are at 0-2 and my lights are on 11am-8pm. My tank is almost completely void of algae now.

I was also thinking rubber banding a piece of seaweed to a rock or something might work to feed him but I am not sure. Do any of you guys have any advice on feeding lawnmower blennys?

[DevonM]

Mine doesn't seem to like to eat the seaweed sheets at all! How often do you clean your glass? I notice that if I leave for the weekend my glass gets pretty dirty but my blenny enjoys trying to clean it up for me.

[tehfeer]

I dont clean the sides or the back but I do clean the front maybe once a week or less. I usually clean it when I have people coming by.

[charlie]

I know you want to keep Mr. Blenny alive, but I don't really think that new algae growth in your tank is the way to do it. Once you start down that road, it will just lead to more problems. JMHO

[tehfeer]

Yea but my wife is gonna kill me if the blenny dies though! Man I put this really nice rock in my tank and now I have aptasia growing like mad . I have been murdering them but there are so many its out of control. I am going to have to try to pickup some peppermint shrimp soon. Do you guys know if any of the shops up there have peppermint shrimp? I may just have to break down and make a order.

[charlie]

Peppermints are a crap shoot man, especially if you have some like I had. Mine all went on strike and never ate one aiptasia. I think I know a guy in Spokane that has some berghias, in fact I think Michael has berghias. You may want to try to get in touch with him and see what he actually has.

[tehfeer]

Lol nice I have never heard of berghias before. Looking into it they seem pretty awesome. Its just sad they starve to death after killing all the aptasia

[charlie]

You are in the same boat with the blenny. Is there any way you could catch the blenny??

[tehfeer]

I dont know it would be pretty tough he likes to hide in the rocks. Someone said they had pretty good luck getting the blenny to eat nori when it was on the rocks so I am going to give it a try.

[charlie]

I wish you the best of luck man!!!!! Do you have some nori?

[tehfeer]

Thanks! I do have some!

[DevonM]

Wow those are cool Berghia Nudibranchs! If I had an aptasia infestation I would definitely get a few!

[tehfeer]

I am thinking about it at this point i might not have a choice my infestation just gets worse and worse. It seems like when i kill one off 10 more grow back

[lostcreekreefer]

a place for berghias (untested as of yet). I will be ordering soon, as my tank is Aptasia central! check out:

Berghia Nudibranch Breeder, Berghia Verrucicornis Kill Aiptasia Anemones to Control Aiptasia

I have no commercial interest in this company, they just look like they have their ducks in a row, and I've spoken with the biologist. I'm going to try as nothing else is working to date.

[tehfeer]

Well if you give it a try and have luck let me know. It seems that once they kill all the aptasia in your tank they die from starvation. So let me know once yours have killed off all of them and perhaps i can take them off your hands before they starve to death!

[tehfeer]

A few people had good things to say about Salty Underground

[lostcreekreefer]

I have also seen Salty Underground; I have no idea who is better or if there is a difference. It sounds like a classical ecological cycle, as the prey get depleted, the predators also start to have a problem.....maybe the fish & shrimp can keep up with it at that point. Guess I'll find out & let you know. And sure, I can share extra adults as the aptasia pop'n starts to decline, but the nudibranchs have a limited life span (i can't find it now...but I recall something like 6-8 months tops), so control is dependent on them reproducing in the tank & the little ones eating the aptasia to become more big ones to keep it all going. Anything will be an improvement for me!

[charlie]

I tried a couple in my 80 gallon at one time, but they don't do flow real well, so just another thing to be aware of.

[Ramer]

Kevin let me know when you order, I may have you add a few for me. If that would work??

[reefhead728]

Aptasia's are a pain i had over 30 plus in my 55 gal when i came home from germany i should have found a person with exp to watch my tank but neways i found that 4 pepperment shrimp took care of them in about a month and a half. Ive had good luck using pepperment shrimp also black lip butterflys will ear them but they are not reef safe so. i know all the liquid meds i tryed didnt seem to work they would look like they were dying and boom 3 more came. Good luck