Balancing clean up crew

[Travis Stewart]

My thoughts, real simple... Mexican Red Leg Hermits. A team, adding them to the tank will ensure the rock is picked so well, you see every pore in the rock. IMO this allows the rock to have more potential for bacteria, which in turn allows for break down of nutrients. They simply break stuff down, along side of a great skimmer. Depending on sand bed or not would determine my next additions to clean things up. With sand, my belief is that you can expand in this arena, which to me make more sense, from an eco-system approach. Either way, I have come to believe that this becomes the single most important aspect of a thriving reef. Just my opinion, but many underscore the importance of these cleaners. Cheers

Great advice. Are red leg hermits as aggressive towards snails as blue leg? I know and understand they are both carnivores, but what is your take on this?

 

[Perry]

Great advice. Are red leg hermits as aggressive towards snails as blue leg? I know and understand they are both carnivores, but what is your take on this?

IME, they are actually herbivores, which to me explains why algae has no chance

 

[mta_morrow]

IME, they are actually herbivores, which to me explains why algae has no chance

Plus 1 on the red legs!

 

[Travis Stewart]

IME, they are actually herbivores, which to me explains why algae has no chance

Red or blue are herbivores? I just have def seen my blue hermits eating my snails.

 

[Attackclown]

Both are herbivores but the blue can and will get aggressive especially if food supply is limited. My reds don’t bother my snails.

 

[Travis Stewart]

Both are herbivores but the blue can and will get aggressive especially if food supply is limited. My reds don’t bother my snails.

Great to know thanks guys.

 

[Attackclown]

You may see reds on a snail from time to time but they are just cleaning the snail’s shell.

 

[BryGun]

I absolutely love Tiger Trochus snails (I have 3). They eat GHA, can flip back over if they fall upside down and have a defense for hermits by twisting their shell real fast if they feel something on it. I also have a Halloween hermit, 6-7 red leg hermits and a strawberry crab. All in a 29 gallon biocube. I like the hermits because they will clean up leftover food since I do feed a little heavy. There seems to be a good balance because there is no die off and no algae.

 

[BryGun]

Oops double post

 

[Travis Stewart]

Oops double post

I Welcome any and every post!

 

[BryGun]

I Welcome any and every post!

In a new system, when you get a good amount of diatoms going, that is when I would add small amounts of whatever CUC you choose starting with snails and wait to see if they are consuming it faster than it can grow then slowly add more if they can’t keep up. I would not follow the 1 CUC per whatever gallon. Every tank is different depending on surface area.

 

[SteadyC]

If you have algae eating fish like angels and tangs, you will want way less CuC. I agree with others, that the typical numbers posted are stupid. I have a 110 gallon tank, only CuC are a blue tuxedo urchin, 1 Trochus snail, 1 tiger conch, and 2 chestnut cowries, and myself, that’s it. I use a turkey blaster on the rocks maybe 2-3 times a month, and sift the sand maybe once a month.

 

[drawman]

IME, they are actually herbivores, which to me explains why algae has no chance

Both are herbivores but the blue can and will get aggressive especially if food supply is limited. My reds don’t bother my snails.

Very interesting guys I've never considered red leg hermits. I used to keep blue legs a long time ago and swore I would never keep crabs because of all the snail deaths. Now you guys have me reconsidering.

When you say red leg are you referring to Paguristes cadenati?
https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/620/scarlet-reef-hermit-crab?pcatid=620&c=497+501+620

 

[Lasse]

Wait until there is lots of algae and throw in about 1 snail per gallon and 1 hermit per 2-3 gallons. I start will really small hermits because they are obnoxious when they get too big. Then I pick up another 10-20 snails every few months or so (in a 60g).

Well if you add without algae they have nothing to eat. I would wait for at least some to show up.

My way of thinking is total opposite this.

I add my clean up crew as soon as possible. If you wait until you see any algae - you have lost the battle. Its a question of growth dynamics. The unlimited growth of any organism follow an e-curve because it the growth is per cent of the biomass. After I have ad the first fish and tuned in my light to a certain photoperiod (often 12 hours/day) I add snails, hermits, urchins and other grazers. even if I not see any algae - the micro algae is there and they are able to dubble its own biomass during one day. A rather large clean up crew will eat anything that grow and you will not get a large biomass that dubble its size every day. In my experiences - as soon as you can detect algae by your eyes - you are starting to lose the battle.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[V3ganbullets]

CUC is not a remedy for algae, it will just hide the problem. 10-20 snails every few months is a ridiculous amount, they will starve unless your only purpose is to grow algae to feed your snails. Control your feeding, reduce your lights and most importantly, have good export methods. My initial algae bloom died down naturally a couple of weeks after Cheato started growing, I have an urchin, a conch, couple of crabs and a couple of snails in a 100G tank with 2inch of sand and no algae at all.

My CUC is a decoration of the tank, not a method of controlling algae.

 

[Lasse]

CUC is not a remedy for algae, it will just hide the problem. 10-20 snails every few months is a ridiculous amount, they will starve unless your only purpose is to grow algae to feed your snails. Control your feeding, reduce your lights and most importantly, have good export methods. My initial algae bloom died down naturally a couple of weeks after Cheato started growing, I have an urchin, a conch, couple of crabs and a couple of snails in a 100G tank with 2inch of sand and no algae at all.

My CUC is a decoration of the tank, not a method of controlling algae.

I do not agree - in nature - grazing is the most important factor controlling algae growth on coral reefs.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[shaggydoo]

CUC is not a remedy for algae, it will just hide the problem. 10-20 snails every few months is a ridiculous amount, they will starve unless your only purpose is to grow algae to feed your snails. Control your feeding, reduce your lights and most importantly, have good export methods. My initial algae bloom died down naturally a couple of weeks after Cheato started growing, I have an urchin, a conch, couple of crabs and a couple of snails in a 100G tank with 2inch of sand and no algae at all.

My CUC is a decoration of the tank, not a method of controlling algae.

Algae is not a problem! It is necessary and unavoidable in our hobby. We just don't like to see it. Algae is not only unavoidable in some form, it can be super beneficial when controlled in a refugium.

Also, a CUC can be decorative but mostly they are useful. There are many ways to run a tank and basically everyone will have a little extra algae. Best way to keep it out of the display, a CUC. Decoration is secondary for most tanks.