Whats the best...?

[DamselHook]

species of shrimp, blenney, and gobies to get for a good clean up crew. i have lots of hermits and snails, now im ready for some color and movement. Also just got 26lbs of live rock in and i was wondering how long it takes on average before you start to get "hitchhikers" coming out and also for any corals that may have made it? thanks for your time,

 

[Im14abeer]

Is the rock cured? I don't mean shipped in newspaper, mail order "cured". I mean from another tank, LFS, or in a rubbermaid cured. If it's not fully cured, it will cycle in your tank and kill your inverts. Definately don't get a shrimp or fish yet. After it's cycled though, I like skunk cleaner shrimp. I think peppermint shrimp are better scavengers though. No fish is really a cleaner in an aquarium. You will always feed fish. Though if you've got a bunch of hair algae after your rock cycles, a lawnmower blenny will make quick work of it. But after the algae is gone, you'll be feeding it too.

 

[b.branscombe]

I was amazed what survived on my live rock when I got it in. It was shipped in damp newspapers, and then kept unlight for two to three weeks while it cured. Somehow, both feather dusters and blue sponges were able to survive that period, as well as a crab that I found for the first time yesterday.

 

[DamselHook]

yea its cured from the LFS, was thinking about a lawnmower blenney, and i knew eventually i would have to feed them, also was thinking maybe a neon goby or something of that nature, maybe even a firefish.

 

[illal]

firefish are cool just be carful ther jumpers for blennies personally ive been eyeing a midas blenny .... as for goby/shrimp why not a pistol shrimp goby pair??? i have a watchman goby paired up with randalli pistol shrimp....cleaner shrimp are cool too

 

[DamselHook]

i thought about that also, what about the panda goby, or the scooter blenney?

 

[techigirl78]

I really like my orange spotted blenny for algae control. It has a personality like a lawnmower.

A scotter blenny is a dragonet, so you need an established tank for it with lots of pods.

 

[DamselHook]

i knew it was a dragonet but thought it might be okay, and now i know it will after a while. what is your experience with yellow tangs in reef aquariums? i know you would get it last and after much growth of corals and such, but eventually would it work. Also anyone have any experience with the banggia cardinal?

 

[techigirl78]

People tend to get yellow tangs as one of the last fish as they are more agressive. Tangs in general also seem to do better in established systems. They do need larger tanks (75 gal+). Other then that, they are fine. Mine doesnt bother anything.

 

[pony_killer]

+1 for the lawnmower blenny..thats a good fish to have. also you might like the dragon goby to keep your sand bed nice and white.

 

[Im14abeer]

As for the yellow tang, excellent fish so long as you have at least 48" lenght tank. Preferably longer as with all tangs. I also have the cardinal, a few ways to go there. A group or 5 or more looks cool, 3 expecting to lose the weakest member to the dominant one, leaving a pair, or just one that won't bother anything, and won't be bothered. I also thought about the shrimp/goby pair when I first posted, but I was too concerned you were going to have a cycle and was more concerned with averting the looming problem. I should have know from your hobby experience and current tanks taglines. So, what size tank?