Clean Up Crew Question

bangladesh

bangladesh

New Member
What else do I need? Here is my stock..
10 Astrea snails
2 Hermit Crabs
1 Large Nassarius Snail
1 Purple Pseudochromis
1 Cleaner Shrimp
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
that list is fine. you could get rid of the hermits if you like as well. they will probably kill the astreas here and there.
the purple pseudochromis might be a mistake. they can be extremely aggressive in a small tank like that one. they aren't a part of a "cleanup" crew anyway.it will add to the mess to be cleaned up.
 
bangladesh

bangladesh

New Member
Yea. I'm thinking I'll get rid of the hermits. I only have three corals and havent seen the hermits bother em yet though..
What's your guys opinion on ceriths and turbo snails? What are the pros and cons?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
My hermits don't bother my corals, BUT I wish someone would have told me that they like snails....I know they pull them out for the shells, but I have sooo many empty snail shells, and not that many hermits, so I guess the hermits like to have many homes available...and maybe they eat the snails too..
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
That looks like too many astreas too me, but I avoid them altogether, so that's just my opinion.
I'd go with 2 or 3 Nass.
Killer hermits aren't a guarantee. I have some that are genocidal towards snails, and some that leave them alone.
Oh, and how did that Pseudochromis sneak in there?
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
turbo snails get huge and knock over stuff constantly. cerith snails don't do much of anything imo.
i don't like alot of nassarius snails in my system, mainly because every time i go to feed the lps, they come out of the sandbed and steal the food right out of their mouths.
10 astrea snails in a 24 gallon is not too much. truthfully, you don't need any snails or crabs if you practice good tank husbandry, but most of us don't.
 
bangladesh

bangladesh

New Member
Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2830785
That looks like too many astreas too me, but I avoid them altogether, so that's just my opinion.
I'd go with 2 or 3 Nass.
Killer hermits aren't a guarantee. I have some that are genocidal towards snails, and some that leave them alone.
Oh, and how did that Pseudochromis sneak in there?
You know, I think I'm gonna have a big problem if I get some more fish. I was planning on getting a pair of clowns but everyone says that this purple chromis is gonna pick on them. I think he's already scared my cleaner shrimp.
My cleaner shrimp sits in the far right corner of the tank ALL DAY until I turn the lights off and that's when my purple pseudo goes into the rocks.
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bangladesh
http:///forum/post/2830810
You know, I think I'm gonna have a big problem if I get some more fish. I was planning on getting a pair of clowns but everyone says that this purple chromis is gonna pick on them. I think he's already scared my cleaner shrimp.
My cleaner shrimp sits in the far right corner of the tank ALL DAY until I turn the lights off and that's when my purple pseudo goes into the rocks.
Ahh, so that's your complete stocklist, not just the CUC.
Does the shrimp clean the fish? I've had it go both ways. I have a tomato clown that doesn't know what to do with a Cleaner Shrimp and harasses it like another fish. I also had a Saddleback clown that was a cleaning 'addict'.
A 24g tank is small if a fish gets territorial.
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
i had a purple pseudo in a 30 cube that attacked the shrimp, and anything else i put in there. little monsters they can be!
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
toss the nassarius and hermits and replace them with 5-10 cerith. tank bred fridmani/orchard probably better (but more expensive) choice as far as aggression and making cleaner shrimp meals.
 
rebelprettyboy

rebelprettyboy

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2830787
turbo snails get huge and knock over stuff constantly. cerith snails don't do much of anything imo.
i don't like alot of nassarius snails in my system, mainly because every time i go to feed the lps, they come out of the sandbed and steal the food right out of their mouths.
10 astrea snails in a 24 gallon is not too much. truthfully, you don't need any snails or crabs if you practice good tank husbandry, but most of us don't.
U nknow u love Nass Snails Mr X! lol
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
I will never put another hermit in my tank as long as I live. They ate all my snails. Then a few days ago, I took all 14 hermits and put them in a 10g with my mantis shrimp and he went nuts.
If I ever buy hermits, it will be as a special treat for the mantis.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/2831378
Ceriths and nasses eat totally different food items.... one wouldn't take the place of the other.

its not suppose to take the place, its to eliminate the nassarius and add a useful cleaner. If they did the same thing it would be kind of pointless to suggest replacing one with the other
Nassarius have virtually no use in a nano where theirs no meat or meaty detritus to eat. In fact they have virtually no use in alot of tanks. All they are going to do is strip your sandbed of microfauna. many sold are misidentified and are predatory (to microfauna and prohibitive to a live sand bed) and/or whelks. I had a few when I had a large tank and anthias that were fed meaty 2 and 3 times a day. even then I only had two large (1"). Cerith snails are all purpose snails. they eat diatoms, detritus and algae. they cruise the sandbed, the rocks and the glass. Much more appropriate and useful choice.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
I guess different tanks. Different hobbyists. Different opinion. I have N. vibex in all 9 of my tanks except 1. They don't clean algae, this is very true, but they are carrion eaters. The vibex don't munch on your sandbed critters. There are alot of look alikes that are not beneficial for a clean up crew, but that's where research comes in before buying. Recognize what you are looking for by sight.... not the label on the glass. I consider them important because they eat the dropped food and dead critters that can be fuel for an algae outbreak. The other snails may eat the algae, but the vibex helps clean up the potential fuel. If there is frozen mysis that hit the substrate there are two candidates to eat it up.... the BWs and the nasses. The vibex will beat them to the punch everytime... and if not, they'll just take it. I'd rather feed a nass than encourage an unpopular BW outbreak.
How many I would recommend would depend on potential available food and the square inches of sandbed real estate. But when I'm not sandbed heavy, I just put 1 in there to pick up the dropped groceries.
I love snails and they are not just a part of my CUC, but get as much consideration as my fish...I brought them here... they deserve at least that much. I like a nice variety, for example in my 50g tank I have 3 types of ceriths, nassarius, nerites, dwarf planaxis, periwinkles, trochus, astraea, collonistas, fighting conch... I know there's more but I can't think of them at the moment. There is enough film algae behind the rockwork where I can't see to keep them happy if the front gets cleaned too often. If I have a turbo or something in my tank that is running out of food...I supplement them until more develops. Now I don't have a "whole load" of snails.... just a small variety of each... or a single specimen depending on what it is.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
I pretty much agree, I guess defining which nassarius should have been clarified before I answered.
I agree "vibex" are okay to have
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20080325205422/www.***********.com/images/categories/product/p-89197-snail.jpg
the problem is these (pictured from this site) are often what are offered as small nassarius (which they arent). my LFS has these instead of vibex. I read a pretty extensive article on these believed to feed on sand micro fauna and from more temperate conditions than reef environments (or course AFTER I dumped about 20 in my tank).

and these large giant/tonga/fancy (or whatever they want to call them) are vorocious eaters to be put in a nano with little sand real estate and small fish fed sparingly. pretty cool to watch though (which is only at feeding and in the dark).

I had all these in my 100g just didn't see much need for them in my 30g.
 
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