Going to my LFS today....what should I get?

Weehawken64 · Apr 15, 2013

Hi guys I will be going to my lfs later for some cuc members. I have a 29g biocube been cycling for 3 week. Have live sand and live rock. Paras are good.

My question is I have a limited budget and want the most bang for my buck as far as a few guys for my cuc. I have green stuff growing on my rocks, some of it almost like neon green, alil bit of what might be hair algae and I have brown diatom on sand. So what in your opinion is the best thing I can get if I can only afford a small amount? Thanks so much.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Rikerbear · Apr 15, 2013

Turbo snails (5)
nerite snails (5)
cerith snails (10)
nassarius snails (sand sifters) (3 to 5)
hermit crabs (3 to 5)
This is my opinion on what would be best for a 29 gal. This gives you a variety of snails each will do different things in the aquarium.
The hermits can always be added to if you see ditrius is not being cleaned up as quickly as need be.
Down the line you can also add an emerald crab and some shrimp to help with the clean up as well

Weehawken64 · Apr 15, 2013

Thanks So much Riker

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

howaboutme · Apr 15, 2013

I have a 29 standard and would only recommend not getting all of the turbo's at once. In fact, I'd recommend not getting the full complement of CUC's at once since you may starve the snails. For me, the turbo's are awesome but they will bulldoze your frags. I would not get more than a couple until you know you can support them. They are big enough that if they die, may cause a NH3 spike.

FWIW, I only got 10 snails to begin w/, of which 1 was a turbo. As my bioload increases, I will add more.

Isoprene · Apr 15, 2013

I like the red banded snails, they move fast, flip themselves over, don't knock over frags and I haven't had even 1 die on me in a year. MY massive emerald crab who is now out of the system and the hermits couldn't even kill these guys, they are the perfect snail.

Saltwater Invertebrates for Marine Aquariums: Banded Trochus Snail

just my opinion!

Weehawken64 · Apr 15, 2013

That's a good point.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Weehawken64 · Apr 15, 2013

Isoprene, are they common at lfs?

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Isoprene · Apr 15, 2013

No idea about common to your area but my LFS carries them all the time. He calls them just red banded snails. I had to look them up to find the real name haha! They are a little more expensive then the other snails but boy I tell you these guys clean up, move quick as heck (for a snail XD), and eat everything they can on the rocks and glass. They don't grow too big too fast either, I have had my big one for about a year and hes grown but not too much to outgrow the tank. They even survived a small copper poisoning event.

Weehawken64 · Apr 15, 2013

I ended up getting....2 red leg hermits 2 turbo snails 4 nassarius 5 throchus snails 2 cerith. Just for starters.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Isoprene · Apr 15, 2013

Very good start!!

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Rikerbear · Apr 15, 2013

Sounds like a great start!

mike007 · Apr 15, 2013

nassarius snails are great algae eaters.:heh: Also be carefull and don't overfeed your tank that will cause algae problems.

Weehawken64 · Apr 15, 2013

Thanks guys! Hey so I've had the live rock in for a cpl of weeks now and every night after the lights go off I turn on the flashlight to see what I can discover. So tonight for the first time I seen a bunch of tiny what I am almost certain to be bristle worms. Now I dnt have any fish yet so I hvnt been feeding. Now are they good or bad to have? I'm sure there are many opinion. I welcome them all please. Also found a peanut worm a few days ago.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

bct15 · Apr 16, 2013

Weehawken64 said:
Thanks guys! Hey so I've had the live rock in for a cpl of weeks now and every night after the lights go off I turn on the flashlight to see what I can discover. So tonight for the first time I seen a bunch of tiny what I am almost certain to be bristle worms. Now I dnt have any fish yet so I hvnt been feeding. Now are they good or bad to have? I'm sure there are many opinion. I welcome them all please. Also found a peanut worm a few days ago.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Bristle worms are not a problem, just more of a nuisance if you put your hand in the tank and feel around your rock work a lot... Then you get little bristles in your fingers. They are a good part of a clean up crew though, and do a lot of work on uneaten food. Also, I seen a post earlier that said nassarius snails are good algae grazers, that is incorrect nassarius snails are carnivores and keep your sand bed clean.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Weehawken64 · May 1, 2013

Why are my trochus snails dying? Parameters are all great and I've had cuc in there for about 3 wks and I've lost 3 trochus. I'm thinking maybe starvation. But I dnt understand what they are suppose to eat if a cuc is what you put in first. Please any opinions?

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP