Cultivating breedable clean up crew?

[PeterLL]

I’ve got a spare 35L I’d be quite interested i. Cultivating some of the breedable clean up crew.
What kinda set up should I be looking to make?
I’m just thinking at the moment a bare bottom tank, bunch of rocks, algae’s and heavy white light along with heavy feeding of algae pellets. Also some cuttlefish bone for the snails.
Any ideas?
I’m thinking about
Brostleworms
Dove snails
Micro brittle stars
Asterinas
Any others I could do as well?

and just advice on the general set up too

thank you

 

[F i s h y]

This is an interesting idea and I'd like to learn about your motivation? Will it be for personal use or to sell. If its to sell i think there are others that make more sense to try to cultivate. Tell us more about your ideas.

 

[PeterLL]

Bit of both i guess. Ive just noticed a lot of people looking for these kinda things due to so many people starting out with artificial/dry rock. Would mostly give it away to forum members or maybe trade for some frags or something.
What were your other ideas?

 

[bpro32]

I've seen trochus snails reproduce in people's home aquariums and those sell for a $3 each or more at lfs.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I’ve heard of stomatella snails breeding in captivity.

 

[saltyhog]

Trochus breed like crazy. I've raised a bunch....until my Ear Muff got big enough to pick them off. Still get a few in the sump.

My Trochus getting frisky.

 

[PeterLL]

Thanks everyone,
What kind of set up would you think would be best to breed them? Like just heavy feed and leave them to it? Heavy filtration or just let it be a “dirty” tank? Lots of lighting too I’m assuming?

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

Thanks everyone,
What kind of set up would you think would be best to breed them? Like just heavy feed and leave them to it? Heavy filtration or just let it be a “dirty” tank? Lots of lighting too I’m assuming?

Definitely not heavy filtration. A lot of snails simply release their eggs into the water, so a protein skimmer, filter sock, or other method of filtration might remove them. I would also recommend going with sand rather than bare bottom. I would think that feeding them would be a good idea too.

 

[Chuk]

I've had cerith snails breed in my tanks several times. They're actually going for it right now, they've been laying eggs all week.

 

[PeterLL]

Thanks for your input guys.
Wondering if people know what causes the success rate of eggs to hatch?
Noticed ive got tons of dove snail eggs but relatively low amount of baby dove snails, and it looks like the eggs are frequently dying instead of hatching. Anyone know what the reasons for this are and what kind of conditions are needed for eggs to safely hatch for dove and also other snails?

 

[Crustaceon]

Zebra trochus is the answer to this question.

 

[Beardo]

I had a 50 cube setup a few years ago to hold a few corals. Was barebottom with liverock, a protein skimmer, no filter sock. The dwarf ceriths I put in went crazy. With no fish to eat babies, I had hanfulls of them when I tore it down.

In my main tank, trocheus breed all the time and always have some babies around. Would be better I assume without filter socks. Astreas have bred with surviving offspring just a few time.

I think key is no fish and no filtersocks for maximum offspring. Liverock to keep things stable and some light so some alage grows.

 

[Ef4life]

I’ve had stomatella snails breed in an old aquarium, it was pretty cool to watch, they would go up to a high point on a rock and sort of stand up partially and then let out their eggs. I had tons of them. I miss having stomatella snails in my tanks now.

 

[fermentedhiker]

Collonista snails will reproduce in aquariums