I WANT LIONFISH AND OTHER BIG FISH BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF INVERT I CAN SELECT?

[nywaters]

I HAVE A 175 GALLON FISH ONLY WITH ABOUT 120 PNDS OF LIVE SAND ALSO ABOUT 40 PNDS OF LIVE ROCK
AND OFCOURSE A WET/DRY SYSTEM ...IS FOR A FISH ONLY TANK BUT I'M AFFRAID THE BIG FISH WILL EAT THE CRABS OR SNAILS AND I NEED SOMETHING TO TURN THE SAND AROUND FOR THE ALGAE AND WASTE
I NEED A LIST OF WHAT KIND OF HARDY CRABS OR SNAILS TO PUT IN FOR A BEGGGINER AND HOW MANY IS
SUFFICIENT
I HEARD OF ..SALLY LIGHT FOOT CRAB AND TURBO SNAILS
ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU GUYS !!!!!

 

[splash1914]

sally light foots stay on the rocks... about 100 or so blue legged hermit crabs are good (they are very tiny)..... you can get a nice size red hermit crab, it will sift through your sand... maybe some brittle or serpant star fish...cucumbers....

 

[rockface]

I have two triggers, a lion, and a hawk fish. I started with 50 blue legs, and a few red. I also have 3 sally lightfoots. The lion has not bothered anything. The huma huma for the first 6 months didn't bother anyone either, but in the last three months it has eaten about 10 of my blue legs. In theory you would think the larger ones are the safe ones. In my case the large ones are the only ones the huma has eaten. The small ones seem to go un noticed. The Sally lightfoots are so fast. The other thing that I think helped was buying my triggers really small. My lion was about the size of a golf ball. Both the triggers were about the size of a nickle. The hawk was the largest, at about two inches. I also have 3 damels in the tank. I would stick to smaller crabs with plenty of rock for them to hide in. During the day you can't see any sign of those crabs. At night, the sand is covered in them. With the fish all sleeping, it gives the crabs time to tidy up the place. Triggers, and lions are so messy. I think it's a good idea to add something like crabs, and snails to help keep the tank clean. I have all these fish in a 300 gal long tank! I started with a 92 gal, that's currently for sale.( someone please buy it!)

 

[b volitans]

I have a volitans and a H. tuskfish with hermits and snails. I also have a banded coral shrimp; both of the fish don't even mess with the shrimp. I think because the shrimp moves so slow.
Triggers would eventually eat everything that has been listed edible or not. Triggers especially love snails and will swallow hermits shell and all with glee.

 

[the unit]

i think u could have more LR but not nessesary, also pick eith the lin or the triggers.....the triggers will pick at the pins of your lion no matter how big or small[ and they will get bigger] also if such a larg tank why did u buy such small fish?.....if the hawk in the largest it wont be for long and will be lunch for the lion.....i hate triggers...they will kill all that is good in the tank...pods, hermits, snails, whatever is on the rocks, they are just no good.....i have learned the hard way......just dont want to see u go through the same thing............