Cleaner Crew

phatcam

phatcam

Member
I just ordered from swf.com 10 turbo snails, 10 blue leg hermits, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 cleaner clam.. is that good cleaner crew for 55 gallon?
Should that be enough.. tell me whatcha guys think. thanks
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
Janitor pacakages are overdone, IMO. Fact is, you don't see high concentrations of hermit crabs on reefs. You also need to make sure you have enough for eveyone to eat, otherwise you're simply starving them out. You'll hear estimates of 1 crab per gallon, which is over the top. Start small and you can always add more as the system matures and you see what your particular needs are.
 
sandiegan

sandiegan

Member
I agree w/ nicetry, but would probably still ad a few more snails to your tank, but different kinds. Also, not sure but you might have problems with your CB shrim and your cleaner & pep. Heard they could be troublesome.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
the cleaner and peppermint should be fine it is the coral banded that will cause trouble.
 
phatcam

phatcam

Member
what do you mean by "the coral banded will cause trouble" what kind of trouble will he cause?? fighting with the other shrimps?
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
Most ppl "some dont have problems" but most ppl dont have problems with them fighting the coral banded will just plum lay down the line and kill the others. I have heard of them atacking fish killing snails and crabs and other shrimp.
 
phatcam

phatcam

Member
thats no good I guess I will have to watch the coral really closely and if it starts misbehaving i will have to take it out.. that sux cuz i think he looks really cool
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
They are cool looking and there the most affordable ornamentle shrimp available but when it comes to them killing things they just arent worth it.
 
phatcam

phatcam

Member
Thanx for the advice.. Hopefully I will get lucky and get a friendly coral banded otherwise to the lfs store he goes..
 
s3al

s3al

Member
In my 50G I only have.....
4 BIG turbo snails
2 Astrea conehead snails
18 blue leg hermit crabs
1 emerald crab
And Im worried that my cleaning crew doesnt get enough food. They clean up to fast for my tank. I dont know if that is a good or bad thing lol but I feed them seaweed just incase they arnt getting enough food. I have 260watts of PC on for 10 hours a day too. I think the 4 turbos take care of most of the algae.
 
phatcam

phatcam

Member
I got my Cleaner crew today from swf.com Upon arrival my cleaner shrimp was dead
Everyone else is doing fine.. Here is an updated pic of my tank.
 
edwar050

edwar050

Member
you could use some nassarius or cerith snails for your sandbed, as well as varius others like cowries, bumble bee snails, vergin nerite snails, maragrita snails, trochus snails, and possibly a fighting conch. I am a big fan of snails over hermits, although I agree with the coral banded shrimp as to them often being aggressive. I have never had anyproblems with mine as far as fish goes although he does take a licking to snails, he is in the quaranteen now with the cc. :sleepy:
by the was sucks about your cleaner shrimp
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
I thought cowries were killers of small fish and other snails. On the site that I cant post sais there not reefsafe.
 
edwar050

edwar050

Member
yeah your right snipe, although there are like 100's of different kinds of cowrie snails. IMAO you would have to look into before deciding. The chest nut cowrie will feed on sponges and the like, the tiger is about the same, all in all i do believe they are not the best reef tank canidates, i was just naming off snails, a cowrie would not be my top pick. Nassarius ob and large mexican turbo would for the $.
 
erikisbro

erikisbro

Member
Go Big OR Go Home on ur cleanup crew... i would get at least double on what u have on the snails and crabs... look at SWF for reef p[ackages...
 
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