Question

[gareth.hubbarde]

Hi there, I know I post a lot and probably ask what to you guys are silly things bit I'd rather ask and get things right.

Anyway my question this time is:

Once my tank has finished cycling (not too much longer according to guy at Lfs) and I add my crabs and snails, do I need to add anything for them to eat? I know snails eat algae and hooray for that, what about the crabs? They are called a clean up crew right, but there won't be any fish in there for couple of weeks, so nothing new to clean.
This may be obvious to you guys but I thought I'd better ask.

Huge thanks to you all for your help and patience.

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[ROB2005]

Meh i wouldn't mix crabs and snails together in a tank, unless you have ample shells types and sizes for them to switch out when they outgrow their current ones. Certain types of hermits are known to go after snails and eat them when hungry. An algae wafer or two should be good for them. Should you decide to keep hermits, scarlet ones are a good choice. They usually don't bother other inverts and corals.

 

[thegrun]

A small pinch of dry flake fish food every other day will feed them.

 

[Denbf58]

do not count the lfs to tell you when your cycle is done get your own test kits for ammonia
nitrite and nitrate and use them. counting on LFS can be dangerous and expensive. better now to learn how to use test kits to make sure your water parameters right before spending money on corals and fish

 

[billdogg]

^^^I agree 100% with all of the above^^^

Scarlet reef hermits are a fine addition to a reef tank. On the other hand, your run of the mill hermit will eventually take out your snails if it gets hungry, needs a new home, or just because it want to.

I really think that adding much of a CUC to a tank before there is anything to clean up is sort of like getting the cart before the horse. Go small. You can always add more.

 

[scooter31707]

IME, I dropped 1-2 pellets down on the sandbed for them to eat and about every 3-4 days, I would rubberband a piece of Nori to a rock and place on the sandbed. I would remove it after 24hrs if not all eaten.

 

[mcgyvr]

I never feed snails nor crabs..
There is PLENTY of food for them in virtually any tank..

 

[scooter31707]

I never feed snails nor crabs..
There is PLENTY of food for them in virtually any tank..

I agree with your statement, but disagree when it comes to a freshly cycled tank with no livestock which the OP is asking.