Biology

Is usually solitary over rocky substrates (Ref. 6307). Feeds by nipping at the mat of epilithic algae. The diet consists mainly of filamentous algae of the genus Calothrix and not of small invertebrates as is generally assumed. Chironomid and centropogomid larvae, mites, ostracods and other small invertebrates comprise a small proportion of the gut contents (Ref. 4889).