How many crabs and snails

[magyk]

I'm purchasing some snails and crabs soon and maybe a starfish or two.
I was wondering how many would do the job to clean algea (some hair and diatom algea but soon to be a problem)
I was thinking 10 blue leg hermits and 10 nasairous snails
I already have 5 would this be enough for a 75 gallon established about a month and a half ago.
Hobby Experience: 2 years +

 

[montanarocknreefer]

If it was my 75 gallon reef tank I would get about 25 astrea and about 50 nassarius snails. I do not like hermits in my tank as they kill snails for the shell and just because that is their personality.
If you want hermits I would get a couple of scarlet reef hermits and no more. I have a sally light foot crab and they are cool for hair algae and also have two emerald crabs that eat all types of algae except bubble algae. Johnny

 

[magyk]

what about star fish
Choc star fish
Brittle star fish
serpent star fish

 

[magyk]

anyone else

 

[jonthefb]

if your doing a reef tank, the choc star will eat corals...most brittle stars are safe, green brittles ahve been known to catch and eat fish!
i reccommend one cleanre per gallon so in a 75....75 assorted cleaners....try doing like 40 snails, 25 crabs, and 10 others (shrimp, emeralds, stars, etc) if you do hermits, stick with scarlets, cause all otehrs will eat snails to get their shells!
good luck
jon

 

[sammystingray]

I always kind of chuckle when folks have 5 snails in large tanks.....that's one per pane of glass, plus the last has to clean every rock? hehehe....I also suggest atleast 40 astreas, and around a dozen scarlet reef hermits........the only hermits that will ever see my tank. Don't buy red legs thinking they are the same. Maybe one or two emeralds....a briitle star..not a green monster. Maybe a cleaner shrimp if you have fish, but they love brine and such as well, plus they stay out more than most shrimp....that depends on your fish though. I try to keep my snail numbers around fifty in my 90 gallon, and also about a dozen scarlets. Fighting conchs...just one for you, are a must have for a sandbed.