Cleaner Crew

[Joshua I.]

I have a 55 gallon tank with 2 clowns and a coral beauty which are going fine. I wanted to add some cleaner crew members in terms of shrimp I had 2 both went missing I added another then gone I think something is eating them. Also I have snails that came in on the live rock along with nassarius snails. Thats it I wanted something to help clean the sand bed along with the algae on the rocks and glass. Thoughts? Also I wanted to add another fish if anyone has a recommendation.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Nassarius snails are great for leftover food clean up but don't eat algae. Reproducing snails like Ceriths are great because as they reproduce, you get a variety of sizes, so some can go where others can't. Plus they reproduce until they equalize with algae production. A Fighting Conch is good to work the sand bed.

 

[CAPT_Dave]

+1 but consider Trocus snails over cerenths. Cerenths can't flip themselves over when they fall off the glass but Trocus snails can. Trocus also reproduce in the tank.

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[Michael Hoaster]

Ceriths have a long cone shape. They have no problems flipping over.

 

[Joshua I.]

What about something along the line of a serpent star or a sea urchin any thoughts?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Serpent stars are good sand bed scavengers/detrivores. Urchins are the 'nuclear' option for algae, consuming just about everything, except cyano.

 

[Joshua I.]

Well I don't have any algae I want to keep or anything but my water permitters aren't always the best because when I go to college for the semester my family takes care of it and I just wanted to make sure they'll be ok. Also how many stars in a 55?

 

[jrill]

Banded trouchus