Next Stage Of The Tank

[heath]

I need to purchase a "clean up crew" for the new tank (125 gal), it is a fowlr, not heavily stock. what and how many would everyone suggest..I did have an algae bloom its under control now. there is algae on the back wall of the tank so I'm thinking that I will need something that climbs. I do have a tendency to be an over feeder, any suggestions and also the best place to buy them..

 

[pulpfiction1]

kraken

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[heath]

what is the best to buy and how many..

 

[bart84]

What do you have for fish?

 

[heath]

not a lot, its a peaceful tank, why does that make a difference..

 

[bart84]

Yes, some fish will eat snails, shrimp or crabs. ie: harlequin shrimp eats starfish, wrasses eat snails and shrimp in my experience. But if it is all peaceful then you should be good with a variety if snails ( turbos and nassarius), maybe a couple cleaner shrimp and a sand sifting star. I would stay away from hermit crabs as they will kill snails for their shells but you should be good with a couple emeralds.

 

[barebottomcouple]

i agree with bart84... but I have had hermits and snails for may years as long as there are larger shells for the hermits to grow into they don't actively seek out and kill snails unless there are no shells for them.... I have a dozen or so shells scattered around the tank for the hermits and after a year I still have every snail I placed in there. just my experience though some have no luck and hermits do knock stuff around

 

[saltyair]

Imho and I agree with bearbottom hermits get a bad rap on killing snails. If you have shells around they will leave the snails alone.

To start your cuc I would suggest the following.
10 blue or red legged hermits
10 certh snails
5 nassa snails
5 Astera snails
1 tiger tail cucumber
1 emerald crab
1 urchin tuxedo

you don't want to over do it when starting up, since food hasn't built up yet.

in a month or so reassess add 1 hermit for every 3 gallons
1 snail per 3 gallons
I would also add up to 4 urchins as the tank matures.

I wouldn't add a sand sifting star till the tank is fully mature - they will eat both good and bad fauna and can strip a sandbed then starve

 

[jeffopentax]

Thanks for putting this question out there heath. I've been pondering the same thing, as I think lack of cleanup crew may have contributed to my tank's demise.


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[yveterinarian]

Instead of the Astera snails I would recommend the striped trochus since they can right themselves if they fall over and the Astrea can't. Looks like this:
http://www.incredibleaquarium.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31_46&products_id=1920
Make sure if you get them that they look like this as the other trochus snails are a cold water variety and don't last well in a tropical saltwater aquarium.

 

[AdInfinitum]

IMO don't add any creatures to your tank that you don't find interesting to keep in their own right. As Seondary Consumers all of the various things sold as CUC will always add more to the bioload of the tank than is offset by the detritus and algae they eat. Those small creatures are interesting additions to the tank but they are neither necessary nor efficient for cleaning the system. Live rock will provide self sustaining populations of mini brittles and worms etc.

Let interest guide purchases of other small fauna, not any feeling of necessity. And Sandsifting stars are best left in the ocean...

 

[heath]

thanks everyone, I have been watching other members tank and trying to figure out if was a "rule of thumb" what the best is and the amount that is needed, I understand that there are many variables but it was confusing..

 

[saltyair]

Instead of the Astera snails I would recommend the striped trochus since they can right themselves if they fall over and the Astrea can't. Looks like this:
http://www.incredibleaquarium.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31_46&products_id=1920
Make sure if you get them that they look like this as the other trochus snails are a cold water variety and don't last well in a tropical saltwater aquarium.

I agree trochus are better (those are the ones I meant) thanks Yvette


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[saltyair]

IMO don't add any creatures to your tank that you don't find interesting to keep in their own right. As Seondary Consumers all of the various things sold as CUC will always add more to the bioload of the tank than is offset by the detritus and algae they eat. Those small creatures are interesting additions to the tank but they are neither necessary nor efficient for cleaning the system. Live rock will provide self sustaining populations of mini brittles and worms etc.

Let interest guide purchases of other small fauna, not any feeling of necessity. And Sandsifting stars are best left in the ocean...

I respectfully disagree hermits, snails and urchins in a 125 are a benefit the bio load is so small there usefulness far out weighs their bio load.

IMHO sand sifters are excellent in a mature system along with tiger tails and sifting gobies. The largest issue we see in the hobby is a dead or low oxygenated sand bed. The reason we are seeing barebottom tanks.

I have had 2 sand stars for 2 years


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[heath]

ok, torchus it is, I like the idea of a couple of hermit crabs,I do have a lot of empty shells in the tank, all sizes, I think they are neat little creatures. I do have algae on the back glass and wondering what to get that crawl on glass, I really don't want a sea slug or sea hair as when the algae is gone what do I feed them, will the trochus be able to crawl up the glass.

 

[heath]

I hope that I have not caused any disagreements, is there any fish that would eat the algae. the tank has about 75 lbs. of live rock. I wish my camera was compatible with this new program.. I would take pics to show..

 

[jeffopentax]

I found turbo snails are good on glass. They can get stuck on their back, but for the most part manage to right themselves.


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[heath]

I have never had good luck with turbos, maybe my crappy tank was part of the issue.or lack of knowledge. I still have their empty shells in the tank..I wonder if there was someone that had a sea slug or sea hair that would be willing to rent it out, lol..

 

[Jewel]

Snails and more snails, I'd go out and get some Big Turbos, I've always had luck with them, Hermits in my opinion cause more damage than good, I only say that cause I have never had them though. You can generally find Turbos at Als in London or Kitchener. I'd probably get 7 and they live a long time. One draw back is they will move anything not secured.

 

[Kman]

When I add fish I like to add utility fish first. Tangs are great but you have to make sure they are different enough in body shape, color and food preference. Or they can fight to the death. So if you get one like a yellow eye or orange shoulder they will be a good cleanup crew for detritus. I find the yellow eye will eat it all over the rocks and substrate but the orange shoulder likes it on open substrate the best. Then get something that eats algae like a yellow tang, Sailfin tang or purple tang. If you stick with the Ctenochaetus or the Zebrasoma species they are good utility fish to add.

I found with crabs you just never know what you are going to get. All crabs are omnivores and given a chance will eat things you don't want them to eat. Even the algae eating ones. With that being said you can cut down on that habit by keeping them well fed and new shells to move into for growth. If you drop a large amount of cleanup crew and they don't have enough algae to craze on or shells to move into they will start killing to get what they need to survive.

I myself don't keep any crabs in my tank as I feel their unpredictability far outweighs the benefits they are supposed to offer. I have seen them one day be fine and the next start ripping open corals, strip a tank of every pod, snail and each other till one big one is left.
I don't usually have enough algae in my tank for food and with the assortment of conches, fish, sea cucumbers and echinoderms like algae eating starfish or urchins i don't feel the need to keep them. Don't get me wrong they do work, they are just not for me.