Herbivore For 40 Breeder?

Hey guys, I was wondering if there are any herbivore fish that I could place in a 40 breeder. It's not because I have an algae problem, but because I love feeding with algae strips and preparations. I also love the way tangs pick at them. I know most herbivores are too big for a 40 breeder. Would I be able to keep any in mine?

 

I'd suggest a lawnmower blenny. Unfortunately, tangs won't do well in a tank that small

 

Agreed; no to Tangs, yes to a Blenny. Get one that is eating prepared foods though. I had a LMB starve in my 55 as it would not touch any prepared foods at all, including nori.

A smaller omnivore Blenny would be nice too (one or the other though, not both). I love my Tailspot Blenny! Picks at algae all day, plus eats all prepared foods

 

I have a Midas blenny. Do they eat a lot of algae or usually just meat?

 

I've found them to be hit or miss with algae. I feed an omnivorous diet, but I've had 3 over the years and this is the first that I've seen pick at algae in my tank.

 

I have not seen my Midas Blenny touch a piece of algae. From everything I have seen, this is not uncommon for them. Mine is a pig at feeding though, and is the first one in line to eat!

 

Maybe a Hector's goby (Amblygobius hectori) or a Rainford's goby (Amblygobius rainfordi) might work for you.

I've never kept either (they'd be food in my tanks), but I know they do eat vegetable matter.

 

Greg, IIRC, it can be very difficult to meet the Rainford's Goby nutritional needs and are usually not long lived in the home aquarium. I could be way off though as I am just going off of memory.

 

Thanks...you might be right. However, I was going thru my little pea brain thinking of small herbivores, and both of those fishes popped into it. Are the Hector's the same?

As I mentioned, small fishes = food in our DTs...

 

I can't remember for sure, but I think the Hector may be the same. I looked into both when I was stocking my nano, but decided against for the reasons I said. They are a fish that would do well in a large tank that could keep up with their diet IMO, as long as it only had nano fish in it!