snails vs. crabs

[gesswhosbak]

I have a 29 gal with roughly a 2 inch sandbed. The sand is still getting some diatom blooms on and beneath the surface. I was wanting to purchase some sort of sand sifter. I read that Nassarius and cerith snails do a good job, and also the sand sifting crabs. What I was wondering is what are some benefits or drawbacks as to picking one or the other. Also which would be more practical in my smaller setup. Thanks.

 

[buzz]

I think nassarious snails would be great for your set up.
I am not familiar with the requirements of sandcrabs.

 

[hondo]

Nassarius snails live down in the sand and come up when they smell food. They are scavengers and do nothing for algae and diatoms. they are a nice addition to any clean up crew and it's pretty cool to feed your tank and then suddenly all your nassarius snail come boiling up out of the sand bed like magic.
sounds like your tank is just finishing it's cycle and a diatom bloom is normal. If you don't have any clean up crew in there now start considering one as an algae bloom will follow the diatoms. Some good members of a clean up crew for a 29g are:
Cerith Snails - 5
Trouchas Snails - 5
fighting Conch - 1
Nassarius snails - 5
Margarita snails - 5
Strombus - 5
(if you can't tell I like diversity)
As far as crabs go stick with something peaceful like scarlet hermits and go with 5. Other hermits are great cleaners but they will kill your snails for their shells.
As far as "Sand Shifters" go be careful as for the most part anything that shifts your sand is probably looking for food and is eating all the pods, and other detrivores that live in the sand bed which are beneficial to the tank. Better to have a healthy supply of bristle worms than a sand sifting type of crab, or fish.

 

[jp0379]

Hey Gess........ready for Saturday? I started LSU in '83 (in the GOOOOOOOOLDEN BAND........FROM TIGERLAND........), and still follow them as much as possible.
OH YEAH......about the question....LOL......I'd go for the nassarious snails, too. But even more so, as Hondo said, variety is the spice of life!

 

[gesswhosbak]

Ok i could write a whole forum on college football, I think i will go with the snails now. THanks everyone for clearing it all up. Has anyone ever ordered cerith or nassarius from swf? If so what size were they?