Best Scavenger for The Reef?

[Lev F.]

Hello Everyone. SInce I have started my little shrimp-breeding project, I have increased the amount of food given to the tank. This has resulted in a small bloom of Cyanobacteria. I am wondering, What are the best overall scavengers for the reef? Hermit crabs I have, but only 3 because the rest were chomping on my Corals. I also have a brittle and serpent stars, but the particles of food I am feeding are too small for them to eat. So what is a good scavenger that I can add in a relatively large concentration to eat small food particles?

Thank you in Advance,
Lev

 

[danferd2002]

for the sand, a conch is extreamly good at keeping it nice and white.

 

[Dubbin1]

Nassarius snails do a great job at cleaning up the leftovers and help stir the sand.

 

[doody]

Shrimp themselves aint to bad.

 

[Lev F.]

How many nassarius would be enough for a 65 Gallon Tank?
Thank you everyone, I will be going to one of my favourite LFS's tommorow hopefully to restock my cleaner crew. What are some other good sand-sifters? T

Thank you,
Lev

 

[RichConley]

what sorts of hermits did you have that they were eating corals? I've never heard of that.

 

[lvreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6765557#post6765557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dragonet_Dude
How many nassarius would be enough for a 65 Gallon Tank?
Thank you everyone, I will be going to one of my favourite LFS's tommorow hopefully to restock my cleaner crew. What are some other good sand-sifters? T

Thank you,
Lev

There are two types of nassarius snails. The first is more common, collected from Baja Mexico and reaches a size of 1/2". If these are the only sand-sifters then I would go with 1 per 2 gallons. The second nassarius is collected from Tonga and reaches a size of 1". I usually go with 1 per 5 gallons. However the amount per gallon is almost as bad as the light per gallon rule. It really depends on the bio load of the tank, feeding, sand bed depth and general husbandry of your tank. With that said I would try 12 or so and go from there.

In regards to your second question. I like to use a combo of nassarius snails and cerith snails. The nassarius are really good at finding food and detritis. Where the cerith are good at detritis and algae (including hair). I like to use a 2:1 ratio of nassarius to cerith.

 

[Lev F.]

RichConely, They were more like climbing on the corals and damaging their tissue than eating them, but then the damaged tissue was gnawed on by them. A Maroon Hermit and Some Blue Legs. Thanks lvreefer and everyone else that replied. I will get about 20 or so, mainly because I have a 5 inch sand bed and I feed quite a bit

Thanks Again,
Lev.

 

[lvreefer]

Cool. Let us know how they work out

 

[davocean]

I've heard enough negative comments on hermits to get rid of even my small ones.
Astreas and Ceriths have been great for me.
I also have turbos and margaritas.
Astreas are the bomb for HA