Best algae eating tank mate for copperband butterfly

[Novicereefer]

Hey,

I bought a copperband last week. It ain't in the store. I brought it home and before adding to the tank, I took out my pretty aggressive Scopas tang. Thy copperband went into the tank with 2 3ish clownfish and some snails. Immediately it ate in my tank after carefully inspecting the food. I went away for 3 days and the copperband is still good as it's been eating the copepods and I even see a dead aptaisa (I have lots of them). I noticed though with the gang gone and rehomed, algae is growing on the rocks. The copperband swims all day looking around for food and I don't want to disturb that but I need an algae eating fish to graze the rocks all day. A small tang? Any ideas?

**I have a bare bottom**

 

[Formulator]

Sea urchins are by far my favorite algae eaters. If you are looking for a fish, nothing beats a foxface IMO. But I’m not sure your tank size… If too small for a foxface, lawnmower blennies are great. Not the prettiest fish, but full of personality and really fun to watch.

 

[keithw283]

As said above, Foxface are really good algae eaters. I had one in my tank just for that reason. I prefer them over tangs for Algae control. I have heard that they can go after some coral but have never experienced that myself. Lawnmower blennies are good as well but nobody talks about how big of ***** they are. They can be pretty territorial and absolutely will go after any other herbivores that are eating it's food. I have one going after a watchman goby and purple tang at the moment. He has started to leave the goby alone but really doesn't like the tang.

 

[exnisstech]

Not sure of your tank size which will matter. IMO the CBB has to be eating food out of the water column not just picking it off of rocks or it will be out competed for food and starve. I have a second one I'm training to eat now. My first has been with me for almost 2 years and eats with the tangs but I trained it to eat with no competition before adding it to the the DT.
My pin cushion urchins do a good job but will drag frags around if you have loose plugs. My lawnmower blenny is a fun fish and bothers no one but I've never seen it eat algae lol.

 

[Formulator]

I guess every fish is different. My lawnmower blenny really was an algae lawnmower and a model citizen

 

[Novicereefer]

Not sure of your tank size which will matter. IMO the CBB has to be eating food out of the water column not just picking it off of rocks or it will be out competed for food and starve. I have a second one I'm training to eat now. My first has been with me for almost 2 years and eats with the tangs but I trained it to eat with no competition before adding it to the the DT.
My pin cushion urchins do a good job but will drag frags around if you have loose plugs. My lawnmower blenny is a fun fish and bothers no one but I've never seen it eat algae lol.

Yes it eats from the water column. The 2 clowns will go after it first then the CBB will come out and eat and it'll it from anywhere...between rocks, out of water column, off frag plus, etc. I purposely didn't want to have too many fish for that reason. Seems like foxface wins because I don't want my corals being dragged around . Thanks

 

[JayM]

Yes it eats from the water column. The 2 clowns will go after it first then the CBB will come out and eat and it'll it from anywhere...between rocks, out of water column, off frag plus, etc. I purposely didn't want to have too many fish for that reason. Seems like foxface wins because I don't want my corals being dragged around . Thanks

Don't bet the farm on a Foxface eating algae. Mine rarely does, but voraciously eats nori and Reef Frenzy.