looking for cleanup crew ideas

hey guys I have a question, I have 13 Red Leg hermit crabs and a peppermint shrimp any ideas on what else I should add to my 40 gallon bow front for a clean up crew I see a lot of fish waste sitting around in my sand bed. Any ideas on what else I should have in my tank I currently have two clowns to Cardinals I fixed line wrasse and a royal gramma all sugesstions must be reef safe and survivable in upper 70s temperatures thanks in advance
 
Yea i was kinda hesitant to buy the hermits but they were all my lfs had for a cleanup crew at the time, I know they like to munch on snails when they can lol
 

flower

Well-Known Member
A black Sea Cucumber is all I can think of.
Totally agree with a cucumber... you need your sand turned and moved around so stuff doesn't settle on it. You might also try and work with your water flow to clear the sand a little better. Bow fronts are hard to get the flow right, so it cleans the debris off of the sand and rock.
 
what a sand sifting star be okay then, as far as the cucumbers go I know they put a toxin in the water when stressed or die which makes me kinda hesitant to put them in the tank I have a lot of money invested in my startup and I don't want to see it go away
 

flower

Well-Known Member
what a sand sifting star be okay then, as far as the cucumbers go I know they put a toxin in the water when stressed or die which makes me kinda hesitant to put them in the tank I have a lot of money invested in my startup and I don't want to see it go away
A sand sifting star will deplete a sand bed of all fauna. It's suited for a new tank that just got started, It would starve in no time.
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Shrimp, emerald crabs, decorator crabs. A few other critters that help clean up uneaten food. As far as sand sifting, u could try a small goby like a hectors, or reinfords.
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Waste no, organics like algae yes. Yellow watch really isnt a sand sifter. Atleast mine doesnt. My hectors and sleeper headed goby do tho
 

bang guy

Moderator
what a sand sifting star be okay then, as far as the cucumbers go I know they put a toxin in the water when stressed or die which makes me kinda hesitant to put them in the tank I have a lot of money invested in my startup and I don't want to see it go away
The Black "mopping type" Sea Cucumbers are not toxic.
 
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