Clean up crew suggestions please

[Schmoner]

Hi Folks - me again

Please flood me with your suggestions for my clean up crew, i'm getting ready to add in a few days.

Readings for past few days

Ammonia <0.25
TrItes 0
Trates 5-7

55g FOWLR, I'm hearing so many stories about crabs killing snails, snails not being so good, having too many/not enough.

Please please, give me all your thoughts

thanks in advance

 

[McBeck]

Don't go by the "number per gallon" recommendations. It really depends on your tank volume.

I would start with 2 or 3 hermits. I prefer the bright red ones w/ gold eye stalks.

I don't like astrea snails b/c they can't turn over if they fall.

I do like stomatellas b/c they reproduce easily and are nocturnal. You don't end up seeing a bunch of snail booties during the day.

Cerith snails are also a good all-around snail. Start with 4-6 and give it time.

HTH

 

[Schmoner]

thanks McBeck,

Good info to go on, what's your thought on Nassarius ?

 

[McBeck]

I LOVE them!! But, they are not a detritus eater. I know, plenty of websites say they are, but they are carrion eaters and do need to be fed. They'll eat whatever food makes its way to the sandbed, but they won't take care of detritus.

I only have a dozen nassrius in my big ole tub. I wouldn't have more than 6 in a 55, and you'll need to make sure enough food hits the sand to feed them. If you don't have a lot of open sand, you might want to try 4 of them.

 

[mike89t]

I put a thread together on cleaner crews that may help:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=748495

 

[bertoni]

That's a pretty nice thread. I would only add a few comments:

1) I don't know of any evidence that nitrate levels will harm snails. I've kept them at 50-80 ppm for years in one tank with no signs of problems.

2) A good guess for a fighting conch's space needs is 8-10 sq ft of open sand when adult size.

3) Stomatella, Collonista, and columbellids like the "Strombus Grazers" from ipsf.com are very good herbivores, too, IMO.

4) Bristleworms, mini-brittle-stars, amphipods, and copepods also do a lot of cleanup, along with many other less visible animals.

 

[mike89t]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7200871#post7200871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
That's a pretty nice thread. I would only add a few comments:

1) I don't know of any evidence that nitrate levels will harm snails. I've kept them at 50-80 ppm for years in one tank with no signs of problems.

2) A good guess for a fighting conch's space needs is 8-10 sq ft of open sand when adult size.

3) Stomatella, Collonista, and columbellids like the "Strombus Grazers" from ipsf.com are very good herbivores, too, IMO.

4) Bristleworms, mini-brittle-stars, amphipods, and copepods also do a lot of cleanup, along with many other less visible animals.

All very good points. I was primarily concentrating on snails and have added several packs from IPSF to seed my sand. Indeed they are a valuable part of my overall cleaner crew.

The Fighting Conch only grow to be about 3" when mature. I was under the impression that about 2 square feet of open sand would be enough to sustain them.

As for snails and Nitrates I was going off what I read from Dr Ron's Marine Invert book. I have never tried to keep them in a high Nitrate environment so you may be correct in that they can tolerate higher levels of Nitrate.

 

[bertoni]

I'll take a look at his book. I didn't think there was any data on that point, but I might be wrong.

I thought I got the sq ft number from Dr Shimek, but I can do some research on that.

Nice thread.

 

[mike89t]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7200979#post7200979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
I'll take a look at his book. I didn't think there was any data on that point, but I might be wrong.

I thought I got the sq ft number from Dr Shimek, but I can do some research on that.

Nice thread.

Actually to be more correct Dr Ron says you want about 1-2 square feet of open sand per inch of shell lenght. So a full grown fighting conch would require 3-6 square feet of open sand. Needless to say most tanks can only really support about one of these guys if that.

 

[Pillz]

I would say if your going to do crabs do the red scarlet crabs bc there strictly veg. While the blue legs are omnivores.

I love snails.. They clean alll day long.

 

[Schmoner]

Ooooh, look what i've started!

A Heated Debate - sorry folks

thanks for all the advice so far though, much appreciated.

As a starter I've ordered
1 x Peppermint shrimp
2 x Nassarius Snails
2 x Scarlet Hermit Crabs

sound ok for a starter?