advice

[wolfram92]

I am starting a 38 gallon reef tank and don't really want shrimp what would be another good combo of inverts to help keep the tank clean?

 

[Betta132]

Here's what I'd suggest:
A few small hermit crabs, redleg maybe
Some nassarius snails (they burrow and clean sand, as well as scavenging)
Some random algae snails (turbo, margarita, star, etc)
Maybe a tuxedo sea urchin
And whatever harmless critters turn up.
Why don't you want shrimp, may I ask? Some of them are pretty shy, if you just don't like the look. You'd probably never see a peppermint except for a few glimpses.

 

[wolfram92]

Idk I just don't like them that much but the peppermint shrimp is cool I may get one of those but I was looking and the tuxedo urchin some emerald crabs and some turbo snails

 

[rssjsb]

Shrimp don't really "clean" the tank, unless eating stray bits of food missed by fish counts. Nassarius snails will serve the same purpose. There's no real utilitarian reason to add shrimp if you don't enjoy looking at them.

Betta's list is good, but I would skip Astraea and their relative star snails. They tend to fall on their "backs" and have trouble righting themselves. It's kind of a pain. Also avoid margarita snails because they're cool water animals and don't do well at reef temps in the long run.

 

[Nina51]

i'd skip the hermits all together. they will kill your snails for their shells.