Cleaner/Skunk Shrimp?

[bdhough]

Is a cleaner/skunk shrimp too much for a 12 gallon reef tank? I already have a peppermint shrimp in the tank, 8 hermit crabs, and 2 astrea snails. Would adding the cleaner be too much or could i get rid of the peppermint and add the cleaner??? If it helps i plan on having about 15lbs of live rock eventually and some corals. Thanks.

 

[musipilot]

He'll be fine as long as there is rock to hide and climb on/in, and your water quality is excellent. Be very careful when doing water changes to match the salinity to the tank as they are very sensitive to salinity changes.

 

[bang guy]

Believe it or not I don't recommend you get one. I suggest you get two. They will be fine in that tank and two are much more entertaining. I also believe that, unlike fish, they live longer when they breed often.

 

[slothy]

bang what about mixing sizes ? the one i have in my tank is larger than ive seen for sale, would it be okay to add a smaller one ? (peppermint)

 

[bdhough]

So two cleaners, a peppermint, 2 astrea snails, 8 hermit crabs, and 2, 3-4(max size) inch fish won't be too much for the 12 gallon tank??? Ill have corals eventually... And about 15 lbs of live rock. As soon as i can afford the lighting.....

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by slothy
bang what about mixing sizes ? the one i have in my tank is larger than ive seen for sale, would it be okay to add a smaller one ? (peppermint)
I recently added baby Pepermints (<1") to a tank full of Large Peppermints and they were not eaten. So, I don't believe you will have a problem if the Peppermints are well fed. My single test doesn't conclude anything though so take it with a grain of Instant Ocean.
Peppermints definately will eat Peppermint Larvae.

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by bdhough
So two cleaners, a peppermint, 2 astrea snails, 8 hermit crabs, and 2, 3-4(max size) inch fish won't be too much for the 12 gallon tank???
Sorry, I thought you were going to remove the Peppermint. They may or may not get along in a 12 gallon. They WILL get along in larger tanks but I've not tried mixing them in a nano. If you do mix them, please let me know how they do.
Guy

 

[bdhough]

I bought a feather duster instead Thanks for the advice. I may sell the peppermint and get a cleaner. Any pros and cons to either???

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by bdhough
I bought a feather duster instead Thanks for the advice. I may sell the peppermint and get a cleaner. Any pros and cons to either???
Well, one minor irritation, but it truly is just me so feel free to ignoreit.
Peppermint ARE Cleaner Shrimp. All of the Lysmata sp. are cleaners. I know you are referring to the Skunk/Scarlet Cleaner (Lysmata ambionesis) so I do understand the question fully. I just thought I would point that out.
The L. ambionesis are a LOT more agressive with cleaning. The L. wurdemanni are by nature nocturnal.

 

[bdhough]

Feather Dusters are irritations?? How so?
In the case of the skunk, I think Ill break down and get one If its more aggressive in cleaning. I won't have a protien skimmer with this tank so I need cleaning power.

 

[fishfood]

I believe he(Bang Guy) was talking about the peppermint shrimp being a cleaner also and thit it irritated him that we don't typically call them cleaners I had a skunk cleaner in my tank and then added two peppermint cleaners. They put up with each other but the skunk would chase them away if they got close. Then one day the skunk and one of the peppermints were gone? I don't know why and will never know.

 

[bdhough]

HAHAHA... Sounds like my magical fresh water fish. They go in but the don't come out....I've mysteriously lost 4 zebra danios and a fiddler crab. No earthly clue where they are today....No bodies, no fins, no claws, no nothin....

 

[nacl-h2o]

Originally posted by bdhough
In the case of the skunk, I think Ill break down and get one If its more aggressive in cleaning. I won't have a protien skimmer with this tank so I need cleaning power.
Their called cleaner shrimp because they clean parasites from fish.
What type of cleaning are you expecting from this shrimp?

 

[bdhough]

Ahhh...Ok. I was looking for something that scavenges the live rock and sand. I just assumed the Skunk was more active or did more than the peppermint in that regard.

 

[nacl-h2o]

Actually Nassarious snails and/or scarlet hermits will do a better job of that. Their are also Bumble Bee snails, Blue leg hermits, red leg hermits and zebra(left hand reef) hermits that can also help with that.

 

[bdhough]

Good...I have 8 assorted hermit crabs, and 2 astrea snails already. I just thought the shrimp were nice to look at. What are bumblebee snails? How big do they get?

 

[nacl-h2o]

Nassarious and Bumble Bee snails are are both good scavengers that remain fairly small. The bumble bees are cooler looking and better colored, but I think nassarious seem to do a little better job. Nassarious stur the sand better as they spend time burrowing in it where as bumble bees spend more time up on the rock work.

 

[bdhough]

I do need a good sand sifter if i don't get a goby.... Any other recommendations?

 

[slothy]

heres your bumble bee snail

 

[nacl-h2o]

A Cucumber would be good. An Impatient, tiger Tail or Donky Dung would do well. Between a Cuc's and hermits and maybe some nassarious your sand will get all the stiring and upkeep it needs.