Clean up crew for new 105gal reef tank?
- Thread starter vikings10
- Start date
sperry
Premium Member
Re: Clean up crew for new 105gal reef tank?
Buy a CUC.
Sorry I couldn't resist.
I like lots of snails. My experience with hermit crabs is they kill the snails unless you get the really small ones. Can't really speak for #s of each in a tank that big but I like:
Margarita snails are good
Astrea snails are ok but they have the "I've fallen and can't get up" syndrome
Nass vibex snails I like, they keep the sand be stirred up and are cool to watch pop out of the sand when they smell food
Turbo snails are algae demolishers but will bulldoze over corals and anything else not nailed down. A 4" snail is a conversation piece though
Certh snails are good
Cleaner shrimp seem to be good at picking up stuff too and are a nice addition
Not a big fan of emerald crabs as they tend to munch on corals also
A sand sifting goby will keep your sand clean but will bury any corals that are on the sand bed also
Buy a CUC.
Sorry I couldn't resist.
I like lots of snails. My experience with hermit crabs is they kill the snails unless you get the really small ones. Can't really speak for #s of each in a tank that big but I like:
Margarita snails are good
Astrea snails are ok but they have the "I've fallen and can't get up" syndrome
Nass vibex snails I like, they keep the sand be stirred up and are cool to watch pop out of the sand when they smell food
Turbo snails are algae demolishers but will bulldoze over corals and anything else not nailed down. A 4" snail is a conversation piece though
Certh snails are good
Cleaner shrimp seem to be good at picking up stuff too and are a nice addition
Not a big fan of emerald crabs as they tend to munch on corals also
A sand sifting goby will keep your sand clean but will bury any corals that are on the sand bed also
mempho reefer
New member
You might want to consider an emerald crab. They do a great job of eating algae. especially bubble algae. Blue leg hermits do a great job of eating left over food and ditritus. You should read the page at Garf.org for more info on a cuc. I got my first cuc from them when I started out.
Rendos
New member
Get a good mix. Different snails do different jobs.
Nassarius and conchs - good for stirring sand bed.
Turbos - good for rock.
Astreas - good for glass.
Cerith - good all around.
Hermits - good for detritus.
My favorite are zebra hermits and scarlet reef hermits.
Cucumbers - good for sand bed, but need a large sand bed to keep alive.
Sally lightfoots - good for long algaes.
Emeralds - good for something I'm sure, but I don't like them so I don't keep them.
Urchins - good for algae on rock and glass - but they do not discriminate - they eat all algaes - including coralline.
Nassarius and conchs - good for stirring sand bed.
Turbos - good for rock.
Astreas - good for glass.
Cerith - good all around.
Hermits - good for detritus.
My favorite are zebra hermits and scarlet reef hermits.
Cucumbers - good for sand bed, but need a large sand bed to keep alive.
Sally lightfoots - good for long algaes.
Emeralds - good for something I'm sure, but I don't like them so I don't keep them.
Urchins - good for algae on rock and glass - but they do not discriminate - they eat all algaes - including coralline.
