talk to me about invert compatibility and usefulness

[SeeCrabRun]

I'm interested in getting something a little flashier for my tank, but I'm not sure about compatibility with my current inhabitants or setup.

I currently have 2 tanks and both have similar setups and inhabitants.

In both tanks I have damsels, dwarf snails and dwarf hermits. In 1 tank I have a gorilla crab and the other a large hermit. There is just live rock and sand in both, but in 1 tank I'm getting ready for some beginner coral, like mushrooms.

I'm curious about shrimp and starfish. Most specifically a banded shrimp and a brittle star.

I'm concerned how they might get along with my other critters. And if I will be able to feed them properly. Will they be able to live off the tank and even improve it like my CUC does?

Will my gorilla crab try to eat the star? Would the shrimp eat my snails? Etc...

Thanks for any advice!

Side note: I like my large crabs, I hand feed them and they don't bother anyone. So I want to keep them and so if any new additions I'm considering won't work I'll move on to something else.

 

[andrewjsass]

Personally, I love my Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. I've had both Coral Banded Shrimp and Cleaner shrimp, the cleaner shrimp always tended to be out and about scavenging the live rock. They're also a little less aggressive (no claws) and won't bother any of your other inhabitants or a new brittle star

 

[Calappidae]

Gorilla crabs will shread the star, actually they're very aggresive and will go after anything when hungry.

Coral banded shrimp shouldn't be housed with other shrimp and with caution around fish, CBS are very territorial and will most likely attack other shrimp. They are also very oppertunistic, when underfed and given the chance they will snag a sick, slow, or weak fish. I've seen them clean dwarf angels, then grab them while the fish was being cleaned, killing it.

Some people will have 100% success with CBS.. others will be removing their rock to catch it, it's a coin flip.

Brittles get enormous, only the green brittle stars will harm other livestock (predatory) but most species of brittles can get a leg span of around 2 feet. Serpents are a smaller alternative which can fit in roughly anything 29+ gal. Compatability wise, like I said just the green ones are dangerous. I wouldn't trust any around clams though, I can't confirm them going after mollusk but I personally think like most other stars, clams would be on the diet.

Cleaners are territoral to other cleaners, skunks would fight with fires, peppermints, etc etc because of cleaning stations. Fires are the most aggressive and territoral of the cleaners (bar CBS) but they are harmless to other livestock. I personally have a fire shrimp and a cleaner shrimp getting along fine in a 125 but their cleaning stations are so far apart they never make contact.. the peppermint on the other hand didn't last, not sure who to blame but he was closest to the skunk cleaner.

 

[SeeCrabRun]

I only want one of each, 1 shrimp and 1 star, and only for one or the other tank or split between the two.

If the shrimp would do fine with a large hermit but not a xanthid crab then I'd put it in the tank and the brittle in the other. Or if neither will work with the xanthid, but both would with the large hermit I'd put them in that tank.

Or if they all would do well with each other I might get one for each tank. Right now I'm just looking at 1 shrimp and 1 star.

For some reason I thought the serpent got larger than the brittle. I'm not set on exact type, but know what I want roughly. I'd like the star to have the long legs and the shrimp to have red stripes. A Scarlet skunk would work as well.

Eventually when I have my sump fully set up as a refugium I may move the xanthid into it, but he's actually quite likeable considering I hand feed him and he only has a damsel and dwarfs to bug.

 

[SeeCrabRun]

Also my tank sizes listed in my signature aren't permanent. I'm currently upgrading.