Suggestions for CUC

bigfoot86 · May 4, 2013

I have 90 gallon tank that goin on 4 weeks of cycling. Wanted to get some ideas of what to add for a cleanup crew. Open to any suggestions and thoughts of what has worked well for people and what may have not worked as well.

PaulKreider · May 4, 2013

reefcleaners.org email the guy, hes pretty good at designing a CuC to your specific needs!

k2parkstar · May 4, 2013

PaulKreider said:
reefcleaners.org email the guy, hes pretty good at designing a CuC to your specific needs!

Agreed

BenjaminS · May 4, 2013

bigfoot86 said:
I have 90 gallon tank that goin on 4 weeks of cycling. Wanted to get some ideas of what to add for a cleanup crew. Open to any suggestions and thoughts of what has worked well for people and what may have not worked as well.

I recommend a diversity in crabs.

1. Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab this guy eats cyano too
2. Saltwater Aquarium Inverts for Marine Reef Aquariums: Electric Blue Hermit Crab (Build Your Own Kit) These guys are just awesome all round but can get a little big(they climb on corals and clean them in a good way in all the nooks and crannies)
3. Red Leg Reef Hermit Crab, Red Leg Hermit - Calcinus spp. These mexican hermit crabs are pretty good. I like them alot and they are work hard.
4. Blue-Legged Hermit Blue leggeds are good as well but they are shy compared to their red legged counterparts.
5. Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Aquariums: Cerith Snail Cerith snails are decent all around eaters but they tend to clump up at the edges of your water line.
6. Saltwater Invertebrates for Marine Aquariums: Banded Trochus Snail Trocus snails are pretty good my man they are good glass cleaners I feel.
7. Saltwater Aquarium Snails for Marine Aquariums: Fighting Conch Hands down the best detrius eater on the sand bed

CONS:::

!!!I dont like turbo snails even though they are good at cleaning. THE REASON BEING those **** things get so huge and powerful that they knock everything over. You wouldnt want them to kill your favorite chalice having it face down on the sand do you?

!!! I hate big crabs they will **** and KILL YOUR CONCHES. To make matters worse you'll never know when you get a ******* of one

!!! Avoid especially the giant whitelegged crabs OMG they are so invasive in their algae eating technique and sloppy and not to mention ASSERTIVE.

Reefing Madness · May 4, 2013

I'd stay away from Hermits myself, as once these guys can't find anymore food to scavenge, they scavenge your Corals.
Agree with looking at Reefcleaners

bigfoot86 · May 4, 2013

Thanks for the heads up reefers!

Jlobes · May 4, 2013

check out reef cleaners. John is a great guy to deal with. I stock many more snails than hermits. as the can and will "scavenge" your snails, corals, etc. But, I do like to include some for the benefits they provide. Nerites, cerith, astrea, and nassarius...seem to be the most common/popular snails to use as a CUC. I like them all and they all have a great appetite for algae. the only downside to astrea is they have a difficult/impossible time righting themselves if on their "back". at which point, they become an easy feast for the scavengers(hermits).