What is the right size cuc?

[saltysailor]

Hello!

I know a lot of you are going to say that it depends on the needs of the tank so lets take my tank for example! 25 gallon IM Lagoon. I am at 3 1/2 months in and very much so in the ugly phase. I have green algae on the rocks and spots of red algae as well. It also appears as though I have some Dinos growing on the plugs as well. At the 2 month point when algae first started showing up I put 3 astrea snails in and they did a meh job. Then about a two weeks ago I put 2 trochus snails in and they started going to work. My question is can/should I get more as they seem to really be helping out by eating thick detritus and Dinos. So I have a total of 5 snails that are relatively small so I know as they grow they will eat more. What do you think? Also is this above cuc level?

 

[Webslinger]

the more the merrier

 

[saltysailor]

the more the merrier

Is there not a point where you have too many?

 

[Webslinger]

when you have to feed them

 

[Billldg]

You can add as many as you want, but they will start to die off as they starve. The best rule of thumb is 1 per 10 gal. My rule is one Trochus, Cerith, and Nassarus snail per 10 gal.

 

[saltysailor]

You can add as many as you want, but they will start to die off as they starve. The best rule of thumb is 1 per 10 gal. My rule is one Trochus, Cerith, and Nassarus snail per 10 gal.

Any reason for the variation using your calculation I could get 2-3 more snails why wouldn’t I get trochus.

 

[Billldg]

Each snail species has a purpose. Trochus hit the glass and rock mainly, Cerith snails get the rock, glass, and top of sand, the Nassarus snails hit the glass and under the sand. You will not need Nassarus snails as you have a bare bottom. The CuC has a purpose, no point in wasting what they can do just for the sake of having them. Their has been many studies done, and the 1 per 10 gal of each species rule has been settled on, and I can agree with this, because of the loss of snails in most tanks. When everything settles out it usually ends up that you have 1 per 10 gal. You could get a few more Trochus snails as you have no sand. The rule of 1 per 10 gal doesn't mean you can only have 3 snails. It really means you can have 2 to 3 of a few species, as long as they eat in different parts of the tank, thus the job part. @Bulk Reef Supply did a very good study on this exact topic.

 

[Uncle99]

CUC numbers should be balanced in respect to load.
For sure you can have too many, no food, die, then become a load on the DT.
Most common new tank mistake.
LFS sell packages that would perish in a new set-up.

 

[stanlalee]

Take any website package for your size aquarium and cut that by 75%. I don't even have clean up crews. Well I have 6 snails in my 30g which produces barely enough algae on the back wall that I leave on purpose to keep them alive and cleaner shrimp because I like them. Tank maturity, a filter sock, water changes and a glass scraper are my clean up crew. I've done the hermits and multiples of multi species snails and they die of starvation shortly after the ugly phase when the algae is gone and nutrients start getting processed effectively biologically.

 

[saltysailor]

Each snail species has a purpose. Trochus hit the glass and rock mainly, Cerith snails get the rock, glass, and top of sand, the Nassarus snails hit the glass and under the sand. You will not need Nassarus snails as you have a bare bottom. The CuC has a purpose, no point in wasting what they can do just for the sake of having them. Their has been many studies done, and the 1 per 10 gal of each species rule has been settled on, and I can agree with this, because of the loss of snails in most tanks. When everything settles out it usually ends up that you have 1 per 10 gal. You could get a few more Trochus snails as you have no sand. The rule of 1 per 10 gal doesn't mean you can only have 3 snails. It really means you can have 2 to 3 of a few species, as long as they eat in different parts of the tank, thus the job part. @Bulk Reef Supply did a very good study on this exact topic.

Ty for the info very informative! As you said I have a bare-bottom. So I guess I’ll look into another type of snail to do another job!

 

[PicassoClown04]

I have 99% stomatella snail (one surviving astrea and one surviving cerith). They’re AMAZING. Reproduce naturally in your tank so you never have to worry about needing the ‘right amount’ they self regulate. I find them on my rocks and glass which is all I need because my tank is barebottom like yours. They don’t do a thing for bubble algae but there is zero hair, cyano, or whatever other nastiness out there. Safe with macros like dragon’s breath and chaeto if you should ever want to get some of that. Best snails imo and they can even flip themselves over!