renewable detritovores

[aujay]

I was wondering if anyone had any luck with renewable detritovores. I've noticed that I lose snails reguarly and end up replacing them about once a year or so. Has anyone had any luck with stomatella, strombus, or any other type of breeding snail or detritovore. Its beginning to get expensive replacing them.

If anyone in north alabama has a diverse fuge and is interested in working out a deal to get some stomatella, strombus, microstars, etc.

 

[zaozao]

I have some of the stomatella(cap) snails and some astrina stars. The cap snails were having babies a few months ago now I hardly ever see one. I do see some on occasion they just stay hidden. Catching 2 or 3 should not be a problem. I could get you about 10 of the little stars. If you need any amphipods I can fish them out of the tank also. What kind of deal did you have in mind?

 

[NicoleC]

Strombus, stomatella and most asterinas are pretty much strictly herbivores, not detrivores. Your best bet is amphipods, copepods and mysid shrimp, and various types of polychaete worms like the ones that makes the tubes in the sand and have two tentacles -- great cleanup crew members, and "peanut worms" are good detrivores.

Hermit crabs are also good detrivore eaters, but they will polish off anything that moves... frequently including your other cleanup critters and snails. So I don't recommend them, EVER.

Clean shrimp and other predatory shrimp snack on stomatellas like candy, so the two are not really compatible. Sometimes a good refugium will keep your stomatellas going despite predation.

 

[im_buford]

The polychaete worms worms and peanut worms are all gone since I got rid of the 110. And I dont have any in my biocube. Where can I get these? I have stomatella. But really need to the other worms.

 

[zaozao]

I also have peanut worms. I have know idea how I would catch one. If I see one in a piece of rubble I could let y'all know.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Im_Bufford -

Spaghetti worms, polycaetes, etc. can be purchased from Inland Aquatics:
http://www.inlandaquatics.com/prod/pricelist.html#inverts_pricelist

Tomoko

 

[pat_man_ta]

I _had_ micro-brittle stars.
I have lots of little spagetti worms.
I also have tons of purple/orange bristle worms.
Bristle worms make gloves a MUST for fiddling around in the tank though. (I have irritation bumps on my hands today to prove it having forgotten my own advice)

I also think they out-competed if not killed off my population of micro brittle stars.

 

[TheGriffin]

Oh Im-buford, The 110 is coming along great and says hello