Best scavengers?
- Thread starter Dctrojan
- Start date
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
This is where research comes in...
Crabs are good scavengers, but when they run out of food its open season for your other fish.
Starfish get really big and most are not reef safe. Sand sifters get 1 foot in diameter.. I think they are reef safe.
Some cleaner shrimp will pick parasites off fish and just eat leftover food
Urchins are good for algae but can push over rocks and corals..
Its more of personal preference, your setup, and tankmates as far as a CUC (Clean-Up-Crew).
Crabs are good scavengers, but when they run out of food its open season for your other fish.
Starfish get really big and most are not reef safe. Sand sifters get 1 foot in diameter.. I think they are reef safe.
Some cleaner shrimp will pick parasites off fish and just eat leftover food
Urchins are good for algae but can push over rocks and corals..
Its more of personal preference, your setup, and tankmates as far as a CUC (Clean-Up-Crew).
Fizz71
FragSwapper
+1 on Calappidae's post.
For sand base CUC I love my nassarius snails. Very entertaining--plus they are quick so I don't ever recall seeing a crab wearing a nas. shell.
I have a mix of crabs and snails and the crabs WILL eat the snails if they don't get enough food or if you don't have larger shells available for them which is why most people don't keep both.
I've never kept a sand sifting star alive for more than a year and the other starfish that are reef safe don't really sit in the sand (like linkia starfish).
For larger tanks you could also look into a Fighting Conch (Strombus sp.). I say larger tank because the need more space to "wander" or they'll starve.
Do your research based on who you're buying from. You want to get a good mix for a CUC.
For sand base CUC I love my nassarius snails. Very entertaining--plus they are quick so I don't ever recall seeing a crab wearing a nas. shell.
I have a mix of crabs and snails and the crabs WILL eat the snails if they don't get enough food or if you don't have larger shells available for them which is why most people don't keep both.I've never kept a sand sifting star alive for more than a year and the other starfish that are reef safe don't really sit in the sand (like linkia starfish).
For larger tanks you could also look into a Fighting Conch (Strombus sp.). I say larger tank because the need more space to "wander" or they'll starve.
Do your research based on who you're buying from. You want to get a good mix for a CUC.
noobofthereef
New member
In my experience, my sand grain was too large for nass snails. I like my diamond watchman goby. It adds extra movement and it's really cool to watch while cleaning your sand bed.
BonnieMiller
New member
we have no goby yet....I really love those...maybe in near future we can get a few for our 70 gal reef
You can't go wrong with turbo snails for algae, and nassarius snails (as previously stated) to keep your sand bed clean. Many people love their hermit crabs - great scavengers. But they will kill your turbo snails for shells - even if extra shells are made available. IMO, get one red leg hermit per 25g.
But starfish CAN be great scavangers too. If you can get your hands on the tiny mini-brittle stars, or mini-serpent stars, by all means DO! They are fantastic at getting tiny detritus out of cracks that most other scavengers cannot.
Also, serpent stars are great scavangers too. And cool to have in your tank too. Some are stars are problems - like green serpents, and most brittle stars. But the brown or red (if you can find one) serpent stars are quite reef save, and are a real clean-up asset. Their main drawback is that - like urchins - will dislodge poorly secured corals. But unlike urchins, the coral really does need to be poorly secured to be pulled down. Many urchins - on the other hand - can push down corals that were reasonably secure. Also, larger brittle stars may need a periodic (every month or so) tid bit fed directly to them, to keep them healthy. I use small pieces of silversides, and have had my serpents for years.
But starfish CAN be great scavangers too. If you can get your hands on the tiny mini-brittle stars, or mini-serpent stars, by all means DO! They are fantastic at getting tiny detritus out of cracks that most other scavengers cannot.
Also, serpent stars are great scavangers too. And cool to have in your tank too. Some are stars are problems - like green serpents, and most brittle stars. But the brown or red (if you can find one) serpent stars are quite reef save, and are a real clean-up asset. Their main drawback is that - like urchins - will dislodge poorly secured corals. But unlike urchins, the coral really does need to be poorly secured to be pulled down. Many urchins - on the other hand - can push down corals that were reasonably secure. Also, larger brittle stars may need a periodic (every month or so) tid bit fed directly to them, to keep them healthy. I use small pieces of silversides, and have had my serpents for years.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
If brittle/serpent stars run out of food they can turn into little octopi and eat tankmates... microbrittles are too small and are harmless in that case.
Your statement falls apart when you group brittle and serpent stars as if they are the same thing, and they are not. Or at least how they are commonly called here. Not the same food. Not the same behaviors.
To distinguish the two, by "Brittle" I'm referring to the flexible stars that have bristles on their arms. And those generally referred to as "Serpent" are those without the bristles.
Granted, SOME serpents DO behave in the predatory manner observed in most brittles. Specifically the "green" serpents fall into that behavioral category. But the "brown" and "red" varieties that I previously mentioned do not. They do not eat anything that is alive. Or at least not in my experience, nor in any reliable information source that I have read.
I hate to see these EXCELLENT CUC members being mistakenly lumped into a group of "bad" reef inhabitants, when in fact, they are benign and beneficial. Not to mention amusing.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Your statement falls apart when you group brittle and serpent stars as if they are the same thing, and they are not. Or at least how they are commonly called here. Not the same food. Not the same behaviors.
To distinguish the two, by "Brittle" I'm referring to the flexible stars that have bristles on their arms. And those generally referred to as "Serpent" are those without the bristles.
Granted, SOME serpents DO behave in the predatory manner observed in most brittles. Specifically the "green" serpents fall into that behavioral category. But the "brown" and "red" varieties that I previously mentioned do not. They do not eat anything that is alive. Or at least not in my experience, nor in any reliable information source that I have read.
I hate to see these EXCELLENT CUC members being mistakenly lumped into a group of "bad" reef inhabitants, when in fact, they are benign and beneficial. Not to mention amusing.
Both stars are large and can catch food such as hermit crabs, small snails, cleaner shrimp, gobies and other bottom dwelling fish, sleeping fish, and more.
Yours are obviously well fed so your experience with them is much more peaceful.
Sorry. The reason I have to feed them every month or two is because they are not well fed. I feed very lightly - very low fish load in an SPS dominant tank.
I disagree with your assertions, and challenge you to back up what you are saying about brown and red serpents with reliable evidence. Short of that, I suggest that the OP do a bit of research for themselves. As two respondents in this thread clearly disagree.
Good luck to the OP!
I'm done here.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Its all about research and experience... my research shows negativity torwards the stars, and the OP's experience shows them as being a peaceful scavenger.
Its all up to you and what you research or hear about them :thumbsup:
Its all up to you and what you research or hear about them :thumbsup:
jamesbaur13
Apsiring Alhcohlolic
As far as detritivores I personally use hermits (zebra, blue legs, red tips), a 6" brown serpent star, nassarius snails, fire and skunk shrimps.
Of the ones listed, the best (IMO) at removing detritus is the shrimps, second would probably be the serpent star. The drawback to the shrimps... they are terrors when it comes to target feeding corals, it makes the task that much more difficult. The serpent can also be a pain, but he doesn't move all over the tank and isn't nearly as fast as the shrimps.
As far as what does the best job at making my substrate look nice, that award easily goes to my Tiger Wardii Goby (he doesn't clean the sand, he just turns over the surface of it). The drawback to this guy... he depletes the substrate of micro fauna (pods) and if you have an insufficient amount of pods he better accept frozen foods or he will starve.
Of the ones listed, the best (IMO) at removing detritus is the shrimps, second would probably be the serpent star. The drawback to the shrimps... they are terrors when it comes to target feeding corals, it makes the task that much more difficult. The serpent can also be a pain, but he doesn't move all over the tank and isn't nearly as fast as the shrimps.
As far as what does the best job at making my substrate look nice, that award easily goes to my Tiger Wardii Goby (he doesn't clean the sand, he just turns over the surface of it). The drawback to this guy... he depletes the substrate of micro fauna (pods) and if you have an insufficient amount of pods he better accept frozen foods or he will starve.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
How many different kinds of shrimp? it all depends on their tankmates.
I'm putting 2 harlequin shrimp, 2 bumblebee shrimp, 5 sexy shrimp, and maybe even an anemone shrimp without an anemone (If I can) in a 10 gallon..
jamesbaur13
Apsiring Alhcohlolic
Yeah, a Watchmen Goby is (IMO) your best bet for turning over sand. However, realize that you are kind of putting a bandaid on the problem by adding one. If you can control the amount of organics in the water the sand will look better. I would avoid adding one if I could, but I have a pretty heavy bioload.
It's very beneficial to have a large population of pods in your tank. They themselves are good detrivores. They spawn readily in your tank and they, as well as their spawn, are consumed by corals and other inhabitants in your tank.
You will struggle to keep a decent pod population with a watchmen goby in the tank unless the system is large. That's all watchmen gobies do all day... they pick up sand in their mouth and strain it through their gills consuming any pods it finds.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Its a matter of whether your tank is cycled or not...
Has the tank been running with rock and everything for atleast two weeks?
What is your Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test reading?
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Every week it is safe to add 1 or 2 more small fish. I reccommend (if not already) getting your Clean up crew first, then work on adding the fish you want.
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