CUC recommendation

[nyc_love]

Hi everyone, I was hoping to avoid a CUC but I think I should put one in. My main intent with the CUC is just to be able to handle a dead fish in the tank if I can’t get to it. I have a custom tank that is 42” in height so accessing the bottom of the tank in between the rock work is really challenging and mostly impossible so if a dead fish gets stuck in there, I don’t want it decaying on its own. The tank has been up and running since November and I don’t have an algae problem and the water parameters are constantly in perfect condition (I check every other day). The DT is 130 gallons and the sump is 20 gallons. I am changing 3 gallons of water per day using a Neptune DOS, have a UV sterilizer, carbon reactor, and Rowaphos reactor all running 24/7 and my skimmer is doing a very good job.

So my question is if my primary objective is to be able to handle the occasional dead fish, what would you recommend as a good CUC for the tank?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[SlugSnorter]

Hi everyone, I was hoping to avoid a CUC but I think I should put one in. My main intent with the CUC is just to be able to handle a dead fish in the tank if I can’t get to it. I have a custom tank that is 42” in height so accessing the bottom of the tank in between the rock work is really challenging and mostly impossible so if a dead fish gets stuck in there, I don’t want it decaying on its own. The tank has been up and running since November and I don’t have an algae problem and the water parameters are constantly in perfect condition (I check every other day). The DT is 130 gallons and the sump is 20 gallons. I am changing 3 gallons of water per day using a Neptune DOS, have a UV sterilizer, carbon reactor, and Rowaphos reactor all running 24/7 and my skimmer is doing a very good job.

So my question is if my primary objective is to be able to handle the occasional dead fish, what would you recommend as a good CUC for the tank?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Is it a FOWLR tank? Are there predatory fish? How many fish are in the tank?

 

[Jekyl]

Reefcleaners.org

 

[nyc_love]

Thanks for the quick reply. It’s FOWLR right now but my plan is to over time introduce coral as well. The livestock is as follows: 2 x maroon clowns, 1 Niger trigger, 1 blue tang, 1 tomini tang, 1 flame Angel, 2 x binac Anthias, 1 rock beauty Angel, and 1 Eibli Angel. I’ll probably only add another 3-4 fish in total.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Can I ask why you didn't want a CUC? Just curious. Even just for taking care of any uneaten food, I don't see a benefit to NOT having a few CUC members. As far as your questions goes though: I once had 5 fish die within a week, and only ever found one body. (Tang bullied new additions to death while I was at work... lesson learned). I only have a 75 gallon tank, and never even had an ammonia spike. I credit my CUC. Currently the members of my CUC I assume took care of the carcasses - nassarius snails (which scavenge meat not algae), large babylon snail (also scavenge meat), fire shrimp and 2 peppermint shrimp, and some bristleworms (well technically I have a fireworm hitchhiker issue, but they are great scavengers nonetheless - just would rather they were the more harmless regular bristleworms, lol).

 

[nyc_love]

No real reason honestly. Because I’ve invested a lot into the equipment, I was hoping to avoid the CUC.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

No real reason honestly. Because I’ve invested a lot into the equipment, I was hoping to avoid the CUC.

Understandable! I personally would at a minimum throw a few nassarius in there. Then you wouldn't have to worry as much if a fish dies and you can't get to it to remove it. (Though depending on the size of the fish, it really probably wouldn't be an issue in a tank your size, and as you saw, fish will pick at other dead fish as well). Just my thoughts. If you don't have an algae problem you're fine to not go buy a bunch of snails until you need them in my opinion, as they'd starve slowly anyway.

 

[SlugSnorter]

No real reason honestly. Because I’ve invested a lot into the equipment, I was hoping to avoid the CUC.

If you're not doing a FOWLR, you cannot avoid CUC.

I would recommend ordering some CUC from reef cleaners. As people have said, Nas and Ceriths (I would recommend FL Ceriths) are good choices, as they eat detritus, stir the sandbed, and the ceriths will eat some algae as well.

 

[nyc_love]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'll go with 2-3 Nassarius to start and do my best to ensure no fish actually die I appreciate this community so much. I was a reader on here for over a year before I set my tank up. The tank is doing great thanks to all the things I've learned here.

 

[Jekyl]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'll go with 2-3 Nassarius to start and do my best to ensure no fish actually die I appreciate this community so much. I was a reader on here for over a year before I set my tank up. The tank is doing great thanks to all the things I've learned here.

For your tank size 3 nassarius is pretty much a waste of time. Check out reefcleaners.org and start with a package for about half your tank size. Once algae kicks in, get the other half.

 

[SlugSnorter]

For your tank size 3 nassarius is pretty much a waste of time. Check out reefcleaners.org and start with a package for about half your tank size. Once algae kicks in, get the other half.

exactly this.

 

[Budman93]

I second reefcleaners I like them alot. Just dont do one of their package deals because you never need that much.

Trochus snails are out of stock there rn but I just got an email back saying they should in stock the next few weeks. Best for algae eating and can right themselves if they fall over. Also like others have said Nassarius snails will eat dead critters and poop/left over food.

 

[Jekyl]

I second reefcleaners I like them alot. Just dont do one of their package deals because you never need that much.

Trochus snails are out of stock there rn but I just got an email back saying they should in stock the next few weeks. Best for algae eating and can right themselves if they fall over. Also like others have said Nassarius snails will eat dead critters and poop/left over food.

I've always done the cleaner packages. I just order smaller than my tank size. The numbers seem high but a lot of those are very small, about a quarter inch in size. Larger snails are included in smaller numbers.

 

[Scooter21]

I'm of the opinion that most people recommend is ridiculous number of cleanup crew and you don't need anywhere near what they recommend.

I'd go with something like:
4 Nasarius
6 cerith
4 trochus
1 emerald crab
2 peppermint shrimp
1 cleaner shrimp

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I'll go with 2-3 Nassarius to start and do my best to ensure no fish actually die I appreciate this community so much. I was a reader on here for over a year before I set my tank up. The tank is doing great thanks to all the things I've learned here.

For your size tank I'd at least go with like 6-10 nassarius actually... I have that many in my 75 gallon. Unless you feed really, really light.

 

[OnePuffMan]

Do I need to quarantine the CUC from reefcleaners?

Also, how early should these be added?

 

[Jekyl]

Do I need to quarantine the CUC from reefcleaners?

Also, how early should these be added?

They are from fishless systems so quarantine shouldn't be necessary. Once algae starts showing up get a package for 1/2 your tank size. One it gets bad, the other half.