CUC

[mmstillwell01]

Sorry for another question but I was looking at the reef packages on this site and was thinking about getting one it has:
20 Dwarf White Leg Hermit Crabs
20 Blue Legged Hermit Crabs
3 Emerald Crabs
20 Turbo Snails
10 Nassarius Snails
20 Nerite Snails
2 Cleaner Clams
1 Brittle Starfish
1 Peppermint Shrimp
My question is if I put all of these in my tank at once will it cause a crash?
I do have some cuc in the tank already my tank is 18 months old 125gal 20 gal sump.
Thank you guys for all your help.

 

[monsinour]

thats a ton of hermits. only one pepp? I do not use hermits as part of my CUC as I have read not so nice things about them. If I were going to do a CUC order online, I would see if I could put together my own package without the hermits. I would also try to diversify the snails and add more pepps to the list.

 

[mmstillwell01]

I already have three pepperment shrimps. I have Blue legged hermits in the tank already to about 4 of them and I've never had a problem with them they have been in the tank for about a year or so.
I've had more problems with the emeralds knocking over things then any of the hermits.
I have 100 empty shells in the tank different sizes so thay dont botther my snails.
I was going with a reef package because it's cheeper.
so if I knock out the hermits what kinds of snails are better or did you just mean more?
I was thinking that if I put all these in my tank at once it might cause a majar cycle or will it?

 

[monsinour]

not sure about the cycle but i would watch the water params for a while after they went in. Trochus are raved about and i have my personal favorite in the margarita snails. Cant go too wrong with more nassi or turbo or cernith snails.

 

[lil.guppy]

Are those Mexico Turbos or Floridian Turbos? Be careful becasue the Mexican Turbos are HUGE but the Floridians are much smaller. Crabs will eventually kill off your snails looking for shells so I would try and stick with just one. Unless you dont mind adding new snails every 6 months to a year.

 

[mmstillwell01]

So if I went with something like:
6 Trochus
20 Margarita
20 Nassi
20 Turbo
20 Cernith
5 Emerald Crabs
2 Cleaner Clams
5 Pepperment Shrimp
1 Brittle Star
for a 125gal tank
I already have
3 Trouchus
3 Emerald crabs
3 Peppermint shrimp
1 Cleaner shrimp
4 Blue legged hermit crabs
about 10 Turbo snails
5 cernith
I should be set for awhile?

 

[jstdv8]

only thing I don't like about turbos is they knock over any unglued corals. Gotta glue your corals down right away or you will find them in the sand upside down in the morning.
Margarittas don't do much work, they are slow and they just don't suck alot,
I have loads of hermits red and blue in my tank with margaritas and turbos and nassys and I don't beleive I've ever seen them get nasty.
I aslo have a big electric blue hermit and an emerald crab (actualy the emerald passed recently)
everything gets along great.

 

[monsinour]

Not sure, but isnt 90 snails a bit high for the 125? dont forget to add other variety in there too. Theres also Astria and bumble bees and all kinds of other snails.
Basically, find out what each one does or specializes in and get the ones based on your needs. For example the nassi's are great sand sifters and the margarita's eat the crap off the glass. The cerniths that I have split their time from the glass to the rocks. My astreias have only been found on my rocks and the Trochus I have eats all over the tank.

 

[jstdv8]

I have also have just 6 turbos in my 120 and they do a good job, 25 seems like an aweful lot of them.

 

[mmstillwell01]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///forum/thread/381795/cuc#post_3328063
only thing I don't like about turbos is they knock over any unglued corals. Gotta glue your corals down right away or you will find them in the sand upside down in the morning.
Margarittas don't do much work, they are slow and they just don't suck alot,
I have loads of hermits red and blue in my tank with margaritas and turbos and nassys and I don't beleive I've ever seen them get nasty.
I aslo have a big electric blue hermit and an emerald crab (actualy the emerald passed recently)
everything gets along great.
Yes they do knock everything over I've seen that also the emerald do to.
Thats what gets me about hermit crabs people say bad things about them but when I watch them in my tank thay are always just working away and the snail are just stuck to the glass for hours except the Trouchus there always on the move.
so whats one to do?

more snails or more crabs?

 

[lil.guppy]

I love my margaritas! They seeem to be hardier then others I have tried. These are the Mexican type by the way. Mexican Red leg hermits are also hardier then your popular blue leg. The red legs can handle ammonia spikes for longer periods of time and are an all around hardier species. Dont get them confused with the Red scarlet. The mexican red leg hermit just has a hint of red in their legs. I raised over 400 of them and they are BY FAR much better then the blues trust me

 

[mmstillwell01]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lil.guppy http:///forum/thread/381795/cuc#post_3328069
I love my margaritas! They seeem to be hardier then others I have tried. These are the Mexican type by the way. Mexican Red leg hermits are also hardier then your popular blue leg. The red legs can handle ammonia spikes for longer periods of time and are an all around hardier species. Dont get them confused with the Red scarlet. The mexican red leg hermit just has a hint of red in their legs. I raised over 400 of them and they are BY FAR much better then the blues trust m
But where would I get the Mexican type, my local SWF store only carries the blue legged crabs and I dont see them on this site unless there called something else on this site.
What I need is something that will clean the sand and also the rocks I dont have algae on my sand but it looks dirty like it's old and my rock have a little hair algae on them but it is dieing and it's so small that I cant pick it off anymore.

 

[lil.guppy]

Looks like they only sell the Floridian packages here....
I have never seen a nassarius clean my rocks but they do a fantastic job of keeping the sand cleared of algae if there is any in a given spot.
My 1 turbo I have keeps everything pretty clean looking and my Marg's are always all over my rocks. Crabs mow down hair algae..
If all you can get right now is the blue leg your still ok but if you ever come acrosss the Mex Reds give them a try

 

[geoj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mmstillwell01 http:///forum/thread/381795/cuc#post_3328060
So if I went with something like:
6 Trochus
20 Margarita
20 Nassi
20 Turbo
20 Cernith
5 Emerald Crabs
2 Cleaner Clams
5 Pepperment Shrimp
1 Brittle Star
for a 125gal tank
I already have
3 Trouchus
3 Emerald crabs
3 Peppermint shrimp
1 Cleaner shrimp
4 Blue legged hermit crabs
about 10 Turbo snails
5 cernith
I should be set for awhile?
I would start off more like this below, and would also add some odd-balls like Fuzzy Chiton, Orange Spotted Butterscotch Nassarius Snail, Orange Chestnut Turbo, and or the Fighting Conch just for some fun.
20 Trochus
20 Nassi
20 Cernith
20 Spaghetti Worms

 

[mmstillwell01]

Spaghetti Worms? never heard of those, what are they good for?

 

[geoj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mmstillwell01 http:///forum/thread/381795/cuc#post_3328304
Spaghetti Worms? never heard of those, what are they good for?
There are two worms that are good to have and do about the same job of cleaning small particulate debris:
Terebellidae - Will form a tube and do well at cleaning the rock work, seams to do well in my tank
Cirratulid - Is more of a sand dweller and can clean the sand bed in large numbers, is slower at populating in my tank
If you do look for them try Spaghetti Worms but don't expect the seller to be identifying there worms correctly because many are misidentified...