Cleaner Crew Recommendations

[dgriffin]

Okay, I've searched the archives and I'm more confused than anything. Would like some opinions.

1) Crabs or no crabs? True crabs and/or hermit crabs? Quantity per gallon if recommended? Species if recommended? Sand bed needed or not? (Have 200g with sand bed and 350g without.)

2) Snails. Are Astrea snails the only ones that can't right themselves, or are their other species that also have this problem? What species are temperate or tropical so that temperature is compatible? Quantity per gallon recommended? Species recommended? Sand bed needed or not? (See comment above.)

3) Shrimp. Species recommended? I had a coupla peppermint shrimp, but they seem to have disappeared. Was considering cleaner shrimp. Again, how many gallons required to support one?

4) Stars or no stars? Quantity per gallon if recommended? Species if recommended? Assuming need sand bed so only in sand bedded tank?

5) Any other recommendations for cleaners?

Thanks for any inputs. Just so many choices.

BTW, this will be a garden variety reef tank with both soft and hard corals with a few fish.

Thanks,
Dana

 

[charlesr1958]

This is the best article I have seen yet on this subject.

http://www.reefland.com/rho/0305/medprod3.php

Chuck's Addiction

 

[Ryanqk]

generally we are told one snail and one hermit crab per gallon, but you can mix and match, snails are good for diatoms and algae, hermit crabs are good for algae and leftover food bits, Shrimp are great for cleanup crews, esp. the cleaner shrimp but they can get greedy and steal food from sessile inverts like anenomes. I have all of the above. I also have one serpent star and a small red star.
Ryan