Clean up crew?

[Saaqib_Ansari]

Hi I’m just wondering what sort of clean up crew would be best for my tank.
Currently I have 2 mass around snails 1 big snail with a point shell and 2 hermit crabs and one orange hermit crab (which I haven’t seen for a week now that I mention it)
How much clean up crew would be good for this tank it’s 5x2x2ft and decent amount of sand bed

 

[Webslinger]

how many fish, how heavy do you feed? There really isn't an exact # . I'd start with 10 scarlet hermits and 20 assorted snails. and go from there.

 

[Saaqib_Ansari]

how many fish, how heavy do you feed? There really isn't an exact # . I'd start with 10 scarlet hermits and 20 assorted snails. and go from there.

I have 11 fish at the moment : Lamark angel, coral beauty, 4x chromis, fire fish, 2 clowns, Blenny, goby. I feed twice a day but I believe I underfeed because egos vanished within few seconds. I have 3 fish in wire tube: yellow tang blue tang and a foxface

 

[Webslinger]

if you seed food or waste on the sandbead add more

 

[Steph37]

I've got 6 hermits and 4 snails in a similar tank size. I'm thinking about adding a few more. I also got a sand sifting star. They seem to be doing a good job.

 

[Webslinger]

I always add more a few times a year. As my wrasse, and eel eat them on occasion.

 

[drmdvl]

I usually aim for around 1 snail per 10 gallons and 1 crab per 10 gallons. Then go up depending on bioload and feeding habits. I personally prefer blue legged hermits as they are work horses, scarlets are cool but seem to be bullies. For snails I mix between Nassarius, astrea and trochus. If you need something with a bigger appetite I prefer pencil or tuxedo urchins

 

[Webslinger]

Depends on bio-load not tank size. Blue legs will eat your snails, so I always go with scarlets, Let em battle it out or put more appropriate sized empty shells in tank.

 

[Saaqib_Ansari]

Depends on bio-load not tank size. Blue legs will eat your snails, so I always go with scarlets, Let em battle it out or put more appropriate sized empty shells in tank.

I bought two reef hermit crabs and they both cane small I threw some random shells into the tank and one of them looks like this now and honestly just walks alll over my coral annoying everything.
Not sure I can deal with any more of those

 

[Webslinger]

The bigger they get the bigger the shell they need, the more they knock over things

 

[LRT]

I got my clean up crew from reefcleaners.com. He does have snail only packages as well as pre made packages sized for almost any size tank. Worth giving it a look. I got the 105 gallon snail only package coming.

 

[Uncle99]

Attempt to remove all crabs, they are just trouble.
Use all snails.
Best for sand is Nassarius snails.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I avoid crabs for the most part. Snails do the job well enough IMO

 

[FloridaGal762]

I got my clean up crew from reefcleaners.com. He does have snail only packages as well as pre made packages sized for almost any size tank. Worth giving it a look. I got the 105 gallon snail only package coming.

Thanks for this information! Cycling my tank and just got my first diatom bloom. Ordered my clean-up crew and took your advice. I got the snail only package. (I have about 8 small blue-legged hermits I picked up this past weekend that was recommended to help. Should I remove them or let them be?

 

[LRT]

Thanks for this information! Cycling my tank and just got my first diatom bloom. Ordered my clean-up crew and took your advice. I got the snail only package. (I have about 8 small blue-legged hermits I picked up this past weekend that was recommended to help. Should I remove them or let them be?

Honestly its hit or miss with both blue and red legged hermit crabs in my system. They will both take snails out for there shell.
I have a cpl mean ones both colors.
I say just make sure you have some bigger shells in the tank for them to upgrade living quarters lol.
Watch the crabs when you place the snails in your system my mean ones dont waste anytime going for snails. So you should be able to at least get the nasty ones out.
I dont think I'd remove them all tho.
They will also eat dead snail when they die.

 

[FloridaGal762]

Will the CUC help get the tank cycled? I am so tired of looking at water and rock. Nitrites very high.

 

[Uncle99]

Nope.
Only time.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

I'm a huge fan of my conch snail, detritus and diatom removal. Tuxedo Urchin for algae, and yeah like above mentions reef cleaners has packages for tank size. I always try to target feed my CUC once in a while, to avoid snails being attacked by hermits and other unwanted opportunistic meals they would try.

 

[Doctorgori]

Hello, I see you have sand. Not sure if its deep enough for Babylon snails or not. With sand, I feel Narcisus snails are a requirement.
- I prefer Shrimp over crabs any day of the week
- Mix snail types; early on don’t forget to feed during the 1st year maybe leave one pane of glass uncleaned for feeding, rotate sides... I feed my big snails ulva, especially during the expected 6-24 Month long “algae wars”
- what grows under the rock is equally/very important. I recommend speeding that up by seeding with pest free old rock (if you can find it). Anyway those yellow, white of blue sponges are VERY important And under appreciated. . As are the assorted ”tubes”, matices, pods, et et.

Hi I’m just wondering what sort of clean up crew would be best for my tank.
Currently I have 2 mass around snails 1 big snail with a point shell and 2 hermit crabs and one orange hermit crab (which I haven’t seen for a week now that I mention it)
How much clean up crew would be good for this tank it’s 5x2x2ft and decent amount of sand bed

 

[FloridaGal762]

I'm a huge fan of my conch snail, detritus and diatom removal. Tuxedo Urchin for algae, and yeah like above mentions reef cleaners has packages for tank size. I always try to target feed my CUC once in a while, to avoid snails being attacked by hermits and other unwanted opportunistic meals they would try.

I really want a conch snail but I read to wait until my tank has been fully cycled plus one month out. Now I WILL get one.