CUC recommendation please

[canadianeh]

My tank is at the end of its cycling stage and I have diatoms on my rocks.

Can you please recommend CUC for me, or give me opinion of my list?

I have 40 gallons IM Fusion 40 with 3 inches live sandbed and about 30-40 lbs of marco dry rocks. Please consider water displacement. It is going to be reef tank with mainly corals and some fishes.

Here is my wish list of CUC:
Beginning stage
5 Nassarius Snail
5 astrea snail
2 Red-legged hermit crab
2 peppermint shrimps/cleaner shrimps

After I add more fishes:
4 sexy shrimps
1 porcelain crab
1 emerald crab
4 pom pom crabs

 

[AlSimmons]

For that size tank you might want to start off with 5-7 Trochus snails and maybe one Scarlet hermit crab. Use something like a Mag-Float to keep the glass clean and either stir up or vacuum your sand bed on a regular basis too. A pair of shrimp would be ok as well, but I don't really consider them to be a part of the CUC, they're more of a pet IMO.

 

[jayball]

IME you should stick to scarlet hermits (maybe a few of the itty bitty blue legs) for the clawed portion of the cleanup crew. porcelain crabs are cool but do not do any scavenging that I can tell.

 

[Pandagobyguy]

My porcelain eats nori and bubble algae... thats it dont have either of those for very long in the tank hes in

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[Pandagobyguy]

Sorry emerald* was mistaken on species

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[canadianeh]

How about?
5 spiny star astrea snail
5 trochus snail
2 Red-legged hermit crab
2 cleaner shrimps

 

[anthonys51]

start with a few of each and see what works for you. there is no magic formula when it comes to cuc. every tank is different. i would look into getting a tiger tail cucumber once the tank is settled in, they really clean the sand well.
plus
5 Nassarius snails
3 trochus snail.
2 turbo snails
2 Scarlett if you like, but i like the tiny blue legs better, they wont kill snails

but you dont have to get them all at once.

emerald crab i would add much later once tank is fully established. plus later date you can see if needed at all. if not enough food in tank crabs will attach other things.
plus cleaner shrimp aren't really part of the cuc, there cool pets but will swarm to everything you feed. they are going to make it impossible to feed your corals (ok not impossible but harder) not saying dont get them, i have 2 that are huge, but they are a pain in the but

 

[canadianeh]

start with a few of each and see what works for you. there is no magic formula when it comes to cuc. every tank is different. i would look into getting a tiger tail cucumber once the tank is settled in, they really clean the sand well.
plus
5 Nassarius snails
3 trochus snail.
2 turbo snails
2 Scarlett if you like, but i like the tiny blue legs better, they wont kill snails

but you dont have to get them all at once.

emerald crab i would add much later once tank is fully established. plus later date you can see if needed at all. if not enough food in tank crabs will attach other things.
plus cleaner shrimp aren't really part of the cuc, there cool pets but will swarm to everything you feed. they are going to make it impossible to feed your corals (ok not impossible but harder) not saying dont get them, i have 2 that are huge, but they are a pain in the but

That tiger tail cucumber sure does look creepy like an alien lol

 

[anthonys51]

Yes but they do a great job


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[jayball]

A fun part of the CUC is large brittle stars. They spend the day with their legs hanging out of crevices and scavenge at night. Big hit with guests, they also show activity when you dump food in.


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[Fiver]

A fun part of the CUC is large brittle stars. They spend the day with their legs hanging out of crevices and scavenge at night. Big hit with guests, they also show activity when you dump food in.


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I agree. They're easy to keep and add a starfish-like quality without the trouble and mortality. Serpent stars are great, too.

 

[canadianeh]

how about:
1 blue legged hermit crabs
1 Halloween Hermit Crabs Trizopagurus strigatus
1 pink turban snail
1 strawberry conch snail
1 orange zebra starfish

 

[clowncaldy27]

I would go with more than 5 nassarius snails .. 40g has a lot of sand to turn over. I like cucumbers, just always scared of them dying and nuking the tank. 2 scarlet hermits and a bunch of tiny blue legs would work. I'd pass on conches, sandsifting stars work better for the risk IMO.

 

[canadianeh]

I would go with more than 5 nassarius snails .. 40g has a lot of sand to turn over. I like cucumbers, just always scared of them dying and nuking the tank. 2 scarlet hermits and a bunch of tiny blue legs would work. I'd pass on conches, sandsifting stars work better for the risk IMO.

But I hears good things about trochus snails being workhorse and better than the other snails. The guy at BRSTV also vouch on trochus snails.

If I put more of them, don't you think they will starve as my tank is brand new.

The sand sifting stars don't have bright nice colour though. Do you know any other sandshifting stars that have bright nice color?

 

[Reincarnate]

Keep in mind that anything you put in the tank to clean the sand will also be pooping in it, thus canceling themselves out IMO. Like mentioned above, your best bet is a siphon when it comes down to sand bed maintenance.

 

[Tooboot]

How about?
5 spiny star astrea snail
5 trochus snail
2 Red-legged hermit crab
2 cleaner shrimps

this is similar to what I added. the fish store didn't have any cleaner shrimp so I took the last peppermint instead. they also threw in a conch and I bought a large nassarius. all seem to be doing fine, although I didn't have much algea to start with, the shrimp has been playing peek-a-boo most of the time hiding in nooks and crannies.

 

[canadianeh]

this is similar to what I added. the fish store didn't have any cleaner shrimp so I took the last peppermint instead. they also threw in a conch and I bought a large nassarius. all seem to be doing fine, although I didn't have much algea to start with, the shrimp has been playing peek-a-boo most of the time hiding in nooks and crannies.

I think this is what I am going to order for my initial CUC:
2x Halloween Hermit Crabs Trizopagurus strigatus
2x Blue Legs hermit crabs
2x Astrea snails
2x Spiney Pacific Turbo snails
2x Tectus snail Tectus fenestratus snails
2x Nassarius Vibex Nassarius snails

 

[canadianeh]

I also changed my mind on the blue legged hermit crabs. I thought I was getting the electric blue one.



So this is the revised list:

2x Halloween Hermit Crabs Trizopagurus strigatus

2x Astrea snails

2x Spiney Pacific Turbo snails

2x Tectus snail Tectus fenestratus snails

2x Nassarius Vibex Nassarius snails



I also have 1 Xenia frag and 1 black and white clownfish in my QT tank that will be going to DT together with the CUC crew.



I am also thinking of ordering a purple firefish, cardinal bangai, and yellow watchman and put them all three in my 10 gallons QT tank for few weeks before adding them to the DT.



I am still hunting for ocellaris orange and white clown to be added in the future to accompany the black and white.

 

[Tooboot]

I also changed my mind on the blue legged hermit crabs. I thought I was getting the electric blue one.



So this is the revised list:

2x Halloween Hermit Crabs Trizopagurus strigatus

2x Astrea snails

2x Spiney Pacific Turbo snails

2x Tectus snail Tectus fenestratus snails

2x Nassarius Vibex Nassarius snails



I also have 1 Xenia frag and 1 black and white clownfish in my QT tank that will be going to DT together with the CUC crew.



I am also thinking of ordering a purple firefish, cardinal bangai, and yellow watchman and put them all three in my 10 gallons QT tank for few weeks before adding them to the DT.



I am still hunting for ocellaris orange and white clown to be added in the future to accompany the black and white.

caution from what I've read on having too many clowns in one tank (a pair is the max I've seen recommended, although BRS seem to have a harem of clowns in one tank).
as for your corals, may want to be careful with them in the QT if you are medicating, I don't think meds are good for coral (specifically copper). I don't think many QT their coral, rather give them a dip and add to the DT.

 

[canadianeh]

caution from what I've read on having too many clowns in one tank (a pair is the max I've seen recommended, although BRS seem to have a harem of clowns in one tank).
as for your corals, may want to be careful with them in the QT if you are medicating, I don't think meds are good for coral (specifically copper). I don't think many QT their coral, rather give them a dip and add to the DT.

Thanks for the heads up. I am aware of the clown concern. I am only hunting for one more clown to accompany the one and only.

I am not medicating anything in my QT tank. Just observing them for 2 plus weeks now. My coralrx just arrived and I will be dipping my Xenia and put them in DT soon.