A quick word of advice for newbies!

Derrick0580 · Jul 20, 2022

Reefcleaners offers dwarf ceriths very cheap and they advertise them as being excellent cleaners and being able to get into tiny holes and crevices that larger cuc can’t. However what they don’t tell you is that they contantly get into pumps and power heads and jam them up non stop. Hands down this is my biggest regret so far while reefing in all the years doing it. I ordered 250 of them and at first I was trying my hardest to pick them out of the filter socks and what not so as to not lose them, now I could care less. I hear them fall off my screen covers and hit the laminate flooring every time I lift the covers off and could care less at this point. So unless you are patient enough to be taking your pumps and powerheads out and apart multiple times a week to get the tiny(1-2mm) snails out do not order these or you will be pulling your hair out! If anyone has any suggestions how to rid myself of these little buggers please let me know!

BroccoliFarmer · Jul 20, 2022

To there defense, they did say they could get into the places where the bigger cuc couldn't. They did say where they WOULDN'T go.

reeftankdude · Jul 20, 2022

A wrasse will eat them up.

Derrick0580 · Jul 20, 2022

reeftankdude said:
A wrasse will eat them up.

Sixline isn’t touching them

EricR · Jul 20, 2022

Well, tiny, blue-legged hermits seem to love little ceriths for their shells -- but my sample set is two, not 250 ... so,,, uhhh,,, guess that's not a good idea

Reefer Matt · Jul 20, 2022

Yes, they will even get in your skimmer impellers. I never ordered them, but have them in my tank naturally somehow.

Nate Chalk · Jul 20, 2022

They do really good work for the cost but yes every now and then they get in a pump or two. Probably should maintenance the equipment then anyways

Derrick0580 · Jul 21, 2022

EricR said:
Well, tiny, blue-legged hermits seem to love little ceriths for their shells -- but my sample set is two, not 250 ... so,,, uhhh,,, guess that's not a good idea

Think you are thinking of florida ceriths which are 10 x’s the size of dwarf ones. No way a blue leg is ever fitting into a dwarf cerith shell!

bnord · Jul 21, 2022

As to wrasses eating them, i added them to 2 tanks.
They flourish in a tank with a Luna and are gone from a tank with a Melanuras and a six line

rtparty · Jul 21, 2022

Over 3 months with mine and not a single one has gotten into a pump in any way

Derrick0580 · Jul 21, 2022

rtparty said:
Over 3 months with mine and not a single one has gotten into a pump in any way

My frag tank is the worst about getting them in pumps, and that is the one with the sixline who won’t touch them. My 120 has a melanurus and I haven’t seen any in there. Had 6 of them in the return line on the frag tank and I thought my new innovative marine mighty jet had already broke until I took everything apart and found them all jammed in there! They are more trouble than they are worth!

paintman · Jul 21, 2022

CUC's are the most over rated, over priced thing in the entire hobby. You can do far more good for your tank by spending 20-30 minutes a week with a turkey baster, flocculante and bubble scrubbing.