Clean Up Crew Suggestions

[BigManBud]

Im about 3 weeks into this and I know that a clean up crew is just around the corner. I have a 120 gal, with about 175lbs of live rock, bout a 2" sand bed. The tank was ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate free in about 10 days after it was set up. What would you guys recommend as far as the clean up crew goes? Thanks in advance

 

[bjonesjr1]

I bought 3 peppermint shrimp, 5 hermit crabs, & 5 snails to start out with... I then had put an anemone in my tank and the peppermint shrimp was picking at my anemone so I took them out but I recently added 10 more hermit crabs and 10 more snails to help with sand sifting and glass cleaning on the inside of the tank

bobby

 

[BigManBud]

Thanks bjonesjr1.... anybody else have any suggestions??

 

[gary faulkner]

100 asteras
100 ceriths
no crabs

 

[BigManBud]

thanks gary and may I ask why no crabs?

 

[bertoni]

Crabs are predatory. So are hermit crabs. I avoid both.

For that size tank, I'd probably start with a 12-18 Trochus, maybe 12-18 cerith, and some Stomatella. Can you buy locally? If so, you could just add some snails as you see the need. Every tank is different, and too many snails leads to starvation.

 

[bjonesjr1]

Trochus, Cerith, Stomatella ??? never heard these names before John .....

 

[bertoni]

Trochus are sold by InlandAquatics.com, ipsf.com, and a bunch of other on-line vendors. I see them locally from time to time as well. Cerith are pretty common here as well. Stomatella I've gotten from InlandAquatics.com. They are able to reproduce successfully in our tank, which is a nice feature.

 

[BigManBud]

Thanks guys

 

[bjonesjr1]

Thanks for the help you have provided as a mod John I really appreciate the knowledge, and info you have given with a great response time and I think that is awsome

 

[Sk8r]

I'm a great fan of the fighting conch...they're an honest, very hardworking sand-cleaner that will clip hair algae at the roots, and if they're burrowing, they're probably still eating. I don't think mine has rested more than 12 hours in the last two months. Hermits have flipped her over: she tucks in and ignores them...
Blueleg and scarlet hermits are great fun, IMHO. One of mine in particular will pick up a snail and go all over it like an ear of buttered corn, then set it down and go away. The snail will be unscathed and cleaned of algae. Astraeas can get places the big snails don't reach easily, and they really scrape. But the big turbos are real generalists, while the 'moon' snails specialize in glass.

 

[tweety69711]

cleanup

cleanup

i would get like 10 turbo snails, at least 15 blue legged crabs... (supposed to have 1/gal) astrea snails are good also