Need suggestion for snails

[Carissa]

I'm starting a new 40g/20g sump fowlr and since this is my first saltwater tank, I have no idea what I might need in the way of snails/hermits. How many and what types are good? Also do all hermits eat coralline algae? If so I might stay away from them altogether. I want to start with a partial crew, and can add more in a month or so after I'm sure that it's all cycled and running well and I have some more algae buildup. I have 30 lbs live rock and 30 lbs live sand.

Also, would the snails etc. be ok in a 20g empty (heated) tank for 48 hours after I bring them home, before I put them into the main tank? Would they eat algae wafers if I didn't have much algae for them to graze on at first? Or will they be fine with the live rock (which currently has a lot of diatoms)?

 

[Airwolf75]

Trochus snails and Cerith Snails, maybe 20 total. Only get like 5 hermits if you want them.

Should be fine in that tank, and will probably eat algae waffers.

 

[cplklegg]

Don't forget about the Nassarius, they are meat (carrion) eaters though. Euplicas and Stomatellas are neat too, if you can find them. Blissful reefing to you.

 

[Carissa]

So they will be ok in an uncycled empty tank for 48 hours?

 

[natan]

Dont put anything alive untill u cycle the tank! No, rely. DONT!!!
Nerith snails are my perrenial favorites, if u get enough u wont need a magnet, and they do their best 4 u to help enjoy the tank. Do a minimum u can for them in return and dont put them in the poisonous ammonia sup even if some can survive and they are too cheap to care. wate for a month at least.

 

[gpd124]

You should most certainly monitor the water paramaters until everything has reached acceptable levels. Adding anything prematurely will just be flushing money down the toilet.

 

[Neuticle]

I'd recommend putting in cleaners only after algae has started to grow.

I'm a huge fan of Nerite snails because they are very small and only eat algae. A handful of blue hermits will take care of the rest.