Making sure for the clean up crew

[Maxi]

Ok, so algea is starting to grow on the rocks on my new tank. So, this is what I have in mind to add this weekend for the clean up crew...


1 skunk cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
10 astrea snails
10 turbo snails
2 green emerald crabs (hopefully I can find a red one)
15 red legged hermits (might go with zebras if I can find them)
5 nassarius snails
marble sea star (maybe)

26g bowfront tank

about 36lbs of live rock

 

[Michael]

imo thats a lot of crew for a 26, personally and its probably just me id consider a dozen or so mixed to start and see how it goes, its suprising what they can get through your talking about nearly 40 staright off, imo thats just too much, start with less and if you need them build up as the tank matures

 

[Mariner]

It looks like a little too much to me too, at least to start out with. 10 turbos will be a lot in a 26g when they're grown.
I'd cut the number of snails and crabs by 1/3 to 1/2.
FWIW,
Mariner

 

[Maxi]

Thanks, so I guess this is it :

1 emerald crab
4 turbo snails
5 astrea snails
8 hermits
2 nassarius

 

[crvz]

should be a good start, maxi. and even with that, you could add about half at a time.

 

[patsfan1130]

Personally I would ditch the hermits.

 

[RyanDragon]

y? hermit are good for scavenging, and they eat detritus,
+1 for adding it half at a time, cause too many critter would produce more waste therefor causing the ammonia to rise,,, that's just my point of view

 

[Maxi]

Hermits haven't done anything bad to me =\

Yeah I'm going to add it slowly.

I am also going to add the 3g nano in here.. should I also put the corals in here slowly?

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

ditch the star too

 

[stricknine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13202047#post13202047 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by toolfan
Personally I would ditch the hermits.

Why would you ditch hermits? Thats the staple of my CUC. If getting rid of them, whats the substitute? I have a few useless and unentertaining snails in there already.

Also, the best cleaner I've ever had was an arrow crab. Wicked cleanup, totally entertaining, but in the end he killed too many things so he had to go. (but I think my emerald took one of his arms for a souviner before he left!)

 

[crsswift70]

i put all my hermits in the fuge. They were eating too many beneficial snails. I have algae issues more than detritus build up. Another thought... sea cucumber The favorite of my tanks CUC. If you have a fair amount of exposed fine sand, i'd consider one.

 

[Brewman12er]

imo ditch the cucumber just imo thats like playin with a loaded gun.

 

[crsswift70]

bah.. so much hype about toxins. Read up on them, they're not as bad as everyone wants you to believe. Almost ANYTHING can die in your tank and cause a crash, seam could give, cat can jump in.... so many things CAN go wrong, but do they? Fight the power!

 

[Maxi]

Haha.. i know what you mean swift, I have gone threw a lot on freshwater systems.

You think its ok to acclimate all my corals in my 3g and place it in the new system?

Including 3 hermits and 3 snails..?

 

[patsfan1130]

I would ditch the hermits because they have always destroyed my snail population. snails are much more beneficial IMO.

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

hermits are mean,

 

[EllieSuz]

I've found the Scarlet Legged Hermits (not red) are the least predatory and they're very pretty. I have three of them in my 40. The problem with the Turbo snails is that they cannot right themselves if they are upside down. This is like giving a Hermit a buffet. Do some research on the Emerald Crab before you buy. They are very entertaining when they are small, but as they grow they have been known to hunt and kill fish and other inverts.

 

[Mariner]

Well, the make up of your clean up crew depends a lot on your personal preference. Yes, hermits can kill snails, especially small to medium sized snails like ceriths, but IME this seldom actually occurs. I've got lots of different kinds of both snails and crabs in my tanks, and they are very helpful and entertaining. As someone else mentioned, the scarlet reef hermit is an excellent choice (I've got a couple that have lived over five years); I also like the blue leg and mexican red leg.

Turbo snails are not the ones that cannot right themselves if they get turned over; those are Astrea (although they are sometimes sold as turbos). Turbos are larger and can easily right themselves. Like crabs, beneficial snails usually have draw backs too. Astreas can't right themselves. Turbos get so big they can bulldoze coral frags. Nerites leave messy masses of eggs around. Ceriths are easy prey for crabs, etc. etc. etc.

IMO, you should pick a CUC mix based on (1) what you like and (2) what you want it to accomplish. Generally, snails are better for algae, crabs for detritus.
HTH,
Mariner

 

[spsfreak]

Just keep in mind that hermits and snails generally eat the same types of foods; depending on what types of snails you get. If you put too many of a cleanup crew in if a food supply gets thin, the crabs WILL eat anything to keep fed. This is happening in my 3g pico as we speak. I lost an entire pagoda to blue leg hermits; there was not much to eat on and they went else were. I have only 4 blue legs and 4 snails (can't recall the type of snail at the moment) and again the crabs devowered my pagoda. Just something to keep in mind. I too thought crabs were basically harmless until I got my 3g setup; not many places to go and hide and they can be watched closely.
JME,
Matt

 

[SleepyJ]

I would substitute all but one of your turbos for a couple of ceriths. Your turbos will starve to death in that sized tank in a couple of months. Ceriths are good because they eat everything, help stir the sand bed, and they breed readily in the tank.

I would also ditch the emerald. I would get the cleaner shrimp over the emerald.