Cleaning Crew w/Crushed Coral

[garnet13aj]

So against many people's advice I am keeping CC instead of sand as substrate and I have it layed pretty thinly (about 1-2 inches) and I was wondering if this would affect the type of cleaning crew that I can have. Right now I have to clowns in QT and I would like to put in a cleaning crew soon. What types of snails, crabs, maybe starfish would be okay with crushed coral, or does it not make a difference?
Thanks

 

[sign guy]

with cc you are the cleaning crew

 

[ryanhayes9]

yes it will limit your cleaning crew. no starfish or fish that like to burrow as crushed coral will cut them on there bottom etc.

 

[garnet13aj]

I don't want any fish that like to burrow and I'm fine leaving the starfish out if they won't work, but can I keep snails or any type of crabs?

 

[sign guy]

the snails will stay off the cc and only on your lr. crabs will do fine on the cc but you will not get any benifet from them cuz they will not be able to eat most of the detris in the cc

 

[velvetchs]

I have a cc and sand mixture as my substrate. I got some nass snails from this site and they burrow into the substrate. I have hermits, too. They seem to do just fine, but that may be due to the fact that I have a sand mixture.
I also have several cleaner clams. When I originally purchased them, I saw pics on this site of people with cc that had them.
I found a thread about cleaner clams and cc substrate. Here you go: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/222642/cleaner-clam
Just remember to VACUUM your cc with your water changes if you expect to keep your nitrates low.
Good luck!

 

[garnet13aj]

Hmm, after reading the post above I think I'm going to get a few clams and see how it goes. Should be interesting if nothing else.

 

[garnet13aj]

So, no one out there w/crushed coral has any type of a cleaning crew?

 

[merredeth]

I have crushed coral in one of the tanks and use a lot of hermits for the floor of the tank and have snails as well. They are foraging all over and work for their meals. As a matter of fact, due to what appears to be an increased amount of them I'm thinking there has been some breeding going on.
Yes, you need to vacuum the substrate as a lot of ---- gets caught in it, and stars seem to not like it from what I have read as well.
Denise M.

 

[watson3]

I have a cc bed, and have a very active crew of snails and crabs..They rummage through the bed and once a month or so i go through and vacuum through..not a major process, just gets the leftovers..

 

[sly]

Originally Posted by ryanhayes9
yes it will limit your cleaning crew. no starfish or fish that like to burrow as crushed coral will cut them on there bottom etc.
That's not true. My sand sifting star buries in CC just fine. It doesn't cut them and this urban legend needs to stop.
You did right. Keep your CC to a 1 inch depth and you are fine. Just get a regular cleanup crew. I have no problem with snails, crabs or whatever.

 

[sly]

Originally Posted by sign guy
the snails will stay off the cc and only on your lr. crabs will do fine on the cc but you will not get any benifet from them cuz they will not be able to eat most of the detris in the cc
Do you even keep crushed coral? NONE of this is true.
My turbos and and nar. snails burrow in my crushed coral all the time. And YES they do eat the ditrius. What do you think a coral reef is? Sand??

 

[cdangel0]

I use CC and the only problem i have with my cleaning crew is the f'n hermit crabs keep eating the snails.
I got a bunch of snails that have been stuck together a few days, I'm really hoping they are reproducing so I can keep the population up.

 

[sly]

I had the same problems with hermits... I finally quit keeping them. IMO snails clean better than hermits anyway.

 

[rusting]

Originally Posted by Sly
I had the same problems with hermits... I finally quit keeping them. IMO snails clean better than hermits anyway.
Smart snails stay on the glass, where the crabs can,t get them. I only have smart snails---- now.

 

[garnet13aj]

I'm glad to hear that I will be able to have a normal cleaning crew. I, also, was confused as to why they wouldn't do any benefit. If the reason we keep them is to eat detrius I don't see how they wouldn't eat it if they could get to it, just like in tanks w/sand. Plus, I'm sure there are places in the ocean w/substrate more like crushed coral than sand, where do you think they get it from?