cleanup critters

[yae4volcom]

Well I wanted to know before I got my tank about how many cleanup snails/hermits I would need for a 55g with about 50 lb of live rock. Which cleap-up critters are best. Thnx

 

[bdhough]

I would start with 10 of each. There are crabs, shrimp, and starfish you can get as well. All of which clean up. As to what to get. VARIETY.....The more variety of life the better chance of controling anything you may have problems with.

 

[conrad]

When I started my tank the LFS told me to load up on the little Blue Leg hermits. I have a 90 FOWLR and probably have 80 or so blue legs. Is this a bad thing? Does not seem to be causing any problems. Plenty of algae to go around.
Conrad

 

[sinner's girl]

check out the packages here that will give you an idea.
30-90 Gallon Reef Package
25 Scarlet Reef Hermits
20 Blueleg Hermits
20 Turbo/Astrea Snails
1 Sally Lightfoot
5 Peppermint Shrimp
4 Emerald Crabs
55-100 Gallon Reef Package
25 Scarlet reef Hermits
20 Blueleg Hermits
30 Turbo/Astrea Snails
1 Sally Lightfoot
1 Cucumber
5 Peppermint Shrimp
3 Brittle Stars
4 Emerald Crabs
"90 FOWLR and probably have 80 or so blue legs." 45-70 is what they have in the reef packages here....so 80 or so sounds good to me.
the package for 55-100 says 3 brittles, but my brittle got huge, no way would three of them fit in my tank
hth

 

[jerseysaltwater]

the "packages" may be sized properly overall, but even the 30 gallon size seems twice what i may need, as my 26 is tall, and has a small footprint - about 24 x 12, so i am thinking of ordering individually, maybe 5 hermits and 5 snails

 

[mommafish]

So when do you get your first clean up crew? It seems most of what I have read on here said they put one in immediately, but don't you need to wait for some kind of algae growth so the crew wont starve?

 

[mommafish]

^
^
Does anyone know the answer?

 

[bheron]

That's a good question. I've heard you should put them in immediately, too, but am worried there wont be enough in there for them to "Clean".
I also see the cleaner packages on this site and will get one, but they do seem to have almost too many critters for my 75 gal tank that I'm about to re-start.
Sorry, I guess I'm no help other than to validate your question!

 

[mommafish]

C'mon ya'll! Someone should know the answer - or at least feel like they know the answer!

 

[sinner's girl]

we added the clean up crew after we added our fish and knew the tank was stable. if you don' t think you have enough algea to feed the crew you can spot feed them, plus they will eat the uneatten food your fish don' t eat (if the fish leave any). some people do add them after the cycle is complete before adding fish. I don't remember our 55gl haven't a big algea bloom.
JerseySaltwater ~ I was just trying to give an idea, by no means are the packages set in stone as to what should go in a tank.
"almost too many critters" then do a U-Build it packages, or pick a few things at your lfs.
hth

 

[bentrue]

you should wait until after your tank has cycled before putting the crew in. most, if not all, of them would not make it through the ammonia spike and all the chemical leveling. after that, there will be stuff for them to eat because you can add fish in there too. it has been me experience that they will find something to eat. just hope it isn't the hermits eating the snails!