I need clealners,shrimp.snail crabs
- Thread starter Aslmx
- Start date
Shawn O
Active member
How old is the tank? If it is brand new you should start out with just a few and add a couple critters every few weeks until you notice your algae lessening and your sand looking better. The more experienced members here will say that you won't keep your tank completely clean just using a CUC, no matter how many you have. The CUC will probably do about half the work and you will need to do the other half.
Pretty much any snail you see on sites like LiveAquaria will work. Some do better than others in different ways. Nassarius snails are definitely good in the sand bed, and Fighting Conchs are often recommended, as well. Ceriths do a decent job on glass and rocks. Trochus snails and favorites as well. Turbos are supposed to be lawn mowers but will seem more like bulldozers. Urchins are known to do a good job on algae but seem more difficult to keep.
A couple skunk cleaners will be entertaining but are not really tank cleaners, from what I've heard. Peppermints are supposed to be pretty useful. Hermits will eat lots of algae and crud as well. Emerald crabs eat bubble algae, if you have it. Porcelain crabs also seem to pretty much just be ornamental, like pom pom crabs and sexy shrimp. Sand sifting stars are said to do a great job on your sand and then starve when it's clean. Serpent stars would probably be a better choice.
The best advice I can give you is to research your fish and CUC before you buy. Make sure you don't spend hundreds on CUC only to have your puffer/trigger eat them, or, vice versa.
Pretty much any snail you see on sites like LiveAquaria will work. Some do better than others in different ways. Nassarius snails are definitely good in the sand bed, and Fighting Conchs are often recommended, as well. Ceriths do a decent job on glass and rocks. Trochus snails and favorites as well. Turbos are supposed to be lawn mowers but will seem more like bulldozers. Urchins are known to do a good job on algae but seem more difficult to keep.
A couple skunk cleaners will be entertaining but are not really tank cleaners, from what I've heard. Peppermints are supposed to be pretty useful. Hermits will eat lots of algae and crud as well. Emerald crabs eat bubble algae, if you have it. Porcelain crabs also seem to pretty much just be ornamental, like pom pom crabs and sexy shrimp. Sand sifting stars are said to do a great job on your sand and then starve when it's clean. Serpent stars would probably be a better choice.
The best advice I can give you is to research your fish and CUC before you buy. Make sure you don't spend hundreds on CUC only to have your puffer/trigger eat them, or, vice versa.
