Clean Up Crew!!

[salt55]

I just ordered my clean up crew from saltwaterfish.com yesterday. Should get it soon. I cant wait. it will be coming with 25 blue legs, 25 scarlets, 10 turbos, 2 emeralds, 1 sally lightfoot, 5 camel backs, 2 cleaners, and 2 brittle stars. It should make a great addition to my tank. Has anyone here ordered a crew from here before? If so what did you think? Also will there be anything special i will need to do for these new guys in the future or are they all self sufficient? ie water additives and such? Thanks alot.

 

[npaladen]

I just got a clean up crew from them today, just about the same one as you. Everything that came was in wonderful shape and looked beautiful. I got two serpent stars and I have never seen two move around as much as these two, I am very pleased with everything I got. I just acclimated everything the way they said to and I had absolutely no problems with anything. The fedex guy even got here early in the morning, so I felt great.
Good luck on yours I am sure it will be just what you want

 

[fixitdude2001]

Everything we have gotten from this site arrived safely and very pleased. the one thing you did not mention was the size of your tank? I have found that one invert per gallon works well. so 50 gallons 50 inverts and so on. From time to time you will have to add crabs and snails as they seam to dissapear , Myself I always order more heavy on the snails and the emerald crabs due to the excellent job of cleaning they do. Snails snails snails, margentas are the best as far as I am concerned but, are very pricy, I have paid up to 8 bucks on one snail. The spelling may be wrong on this snail but they do a far better job than the turbos,that I have the most of. In an aggresive tank turbos work well and are the most reasinable to re purchase, [Triggers love snails]even well fed ones. good luck...fixit Also as far as feeding them they are pretty self sufficiant as long as you have some GOOD algea growth, I do from time to time give small pieces of crab and squid to the crabs that are out but whats really neat is at feeding time our three brittle stars reach there arms out for a treat and gladly take it from me and will fight you for it once they grab it...cya
[ September 19, 2001: Message edited by: fixitdude2001 ]

 

[salt55]

I have read that snails need calcium for there shells to grow, should i supplement with calcium and if so what should i use? Do the other inverts need anything in the water either. Thanks alot

 

[kdlbem]

Watch the camelbacks. Everything I have read says they are NOT reef safe. If you have corals, watch them closely.
B

 

[joetst2]

I really like the Sea-Lab Formula No. 28 blocks. They are very simple in that you just drop a few in your tank or sump and it balances the calcium and all the other essential elements and trace elements. If you're not familar with them yet, the best way to describe them is chalk like material made into a small block. Ask your LFS if you have a good one near you (forget about the large chain stores...they don't know anything)

 

[andymi]

Just beware of the sally lightfoot if you have smaller fish in the tank. They are very fast and can become agressive. I lost 6 fish before I figured out who was getting to them. The sally lightfoot would wait until they swam buy and grab their tail and hold em, while it tried to eat them alive. Nasty little guy, I wound up have to

[hr]
him to get him to come out. Havn't lost a fish since.
--Andy

 

[salt55]

I have three chromis, they are the smallest fish in my tank and was planning on getting a few more later on. Do you think i should even put the sally light foot in the tank, since it will be so difficult to get him outif he does cause trouble?

 

[jamos6]

fixit said 1 invert per gal.i have a 75 gal cycling right now for a reef tank so does that mean i put 75 inverts plus my corals and fish or like 50 inverts and some corals and fish?

 

[jesuit_flyer]

The 1 per gallon thing has been spawned by retailers. Marine biologists say you hermit crabs really need about 10 sq feet to their own. But to each his own. To me they look like giant ants and they eat all of my corralline algae.

 

[schroder_reef]

If you do decide to use calcium, you might try Tropic Marin Bio Calcium. Since I have used it, my corals all look better, except my bubble, but thats another story.. Its a powder so it seems to coat everything better than a liquid.
Good luck!!!!!
schroder_reef