Looking for insight...

[dpdiver]

Well I'm back in Class, Comp for dummys here @ Broward Comm College. LOL I hate mandatory classes! O well I get to catch up on the board while the prof rambles on on today's lesson. How to use the internet. If I didn't need that 1 extra credit hour to be considered a full time student for my GI BILL I would of clept it. Well I need the extra Benifit $$$$$ to pay for my tank set up. LOL
I'm reading up on Clean up crews and Mushroom corals. Any advice for a novice?
Well I have to right click on my mouse now... Or is it a RAT???
Milt

 

[justinx]

For a clean up crew, there are lots of options out there. A good place to start would be to look at some of the pre-made packages on this board that are rated for your tank size and use that as a guide. Personally, I dont like blue leg hermits because they are aggressive towards eachother and especially snails (or at least more so than the other hermits). Scarlets are very active algae eaters, and they like hair algae IME. Zebra hermits are my favortie, but they are almost useless. Other than eating anything that dies and detritus, they do nothing but eat the food that I pust in my tank for the fish. They are hilarious though because they have no fear. They run all over everything, going anywhere they please. That and they fight with eachother, but not to the death. One gets pissed and the other runs, and then gets chased. It is actually pretty damn funny.
Snails are overrated IMO. They are easy targets, and are difficult to keep alive IME. I do have them in my tank though, they do a good job of cleaning the back glass, but thats about it. Hermits clean the rocks, and I clean the other three glass panels. Snails just starve in my tank. But astreas, and turbos have both been good snails.
I would never again put an emerald crab in my tank. Long story, but their appetite extends beyond the limits of algae (read as "corals")

 

[hondo]

for a goo dcleanup crew diversity is the key. Lots of different things as they all eat (clean) something slightly different from the other.
I disagree with the previous post in the snails are not over rated IMO as cleaners, but some snails are better than others. I like a wide assortment of snails and only a few hermits.
Snails:
Cerith - great cleaners and they will multiply in your tank
Stometella - another cleaner that will multiply in your tank
Trochas - by far the best snail and they don't die when they fall over.
Margaritas - great cleaner but they die when they fall over.
Astrea - average cleaner and they die when the fall over
Nassarious - A must if you have a sand bed as they live burried in the sand and come up suddenly when the smell food. They eat detrius and decaying food and are good for sifting the sand bed.
Turbos - very over rated IMO and they are like little bull dozers knocking over anything in their path.
The only crabs I like are scarlet reef hermits. You won't see them too much as they tend to get under and in between rocks looking for something to eat. I currently have some left hand hermits (I think these are the same as the zebras mentioned above) which are fun to watch as they fight each other and zoom all ove rthe tank but they will attack your snails for their shells. stay away from blue leg hermits.
Emerald crabs and sally light foot crabs are also something I don't put in my tank for fear of them getting a taste for fish or corals. Too many horror stories on these boards for me to try them again (have had them in the past with no problems but why risk it when so many others have problems).
there are other types of cleaners but most should wait until the tank is well established before being added

 

[lobstergrabber]

Hondo,
you sday to stay away from the blue leg hermits? Is there a reason? I am just curious have not heard this before and starting to build up a cleanup crew for my 55.
Rich