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megadon

megadon

Member
I have finished my mini cycle, after a few weeks, I think my Nitrate test kit is screwed up, the LFS tested it, my trates were minimal, (under 10).
I will be ordering my clean-up crew from this site soon, I put 10 snails in the tank this past weekend to get a start on a bit of algae, and have heard conflicting opinions on having hermits and a brittle star, what would you recommend in a 40 gallon with 60lbs of live rock, healthy pod population. On a side note, I have noticed translucent pods drifting in the current, do they molt?
 
steamboat1569

steamboat1569

Member
I was hoping someone with a bit more experience with starfish would have answered, but I can give you my limmited experience. I have had a green brittle star, which some say is the most aggressive, for 5 yrs. I also have many hermits. The star has never tried to harm them. The only trouble that I have had is that I ordered both red and blue hermits, and the red ones faught it out with the blues and won. So now I have a lot of reds and no blues.
The green brittle star has grown quite a bit and is getting a bit too big for my 55 gallon.
I have never seen these translucent pods floating around, I would imagine that they do molt since they are in the arthropod family of animals. When my coral banded shrimp has babies, the look like translucent pods, but they get eaten.
I have had exremely good luck with the coral banded shrimp, and I recomend them highly.
I also recomend emerald crabs. They are eating machines, and will keep the substrate clean on the surface.
Bumble Bee snails are great too.
This is just the critters that I have and I have come to know their habbits in my tank.
Good luck!!
 
megadon

megadon

Member
Thank you Steam, I will stay away from the brittle star then, as he will out grow my tank quickly. I thought the 2 hermits would live together OK, I'll try it and keep watch of the battle. I want a starfish, which would you recommend? The tank is a 40 gal breeder, 36x18.
I will be ordering my crew tonight, thanks for the input.
 
mb4000

mb4000

Member
Chocolate stars are not reef safe. They will munch on xenias and other corals. I have never had a problem with brittle stars. I would go with snails over hermits, and that is just because I have had better luck with snails.
 
megadon

megadon

Member
Well this is what I'm planning to order tonight, please let me know if this is unwise. The tank is 40 gal with 60 lbs of awesome LR, many pods, worms and stuff.
2 Peppermint Shrimp, 10 red hermits, 10 blue hermits, 2 Emerald crabs,1 Cucumber, 1 Serpent Star.
Already have 10 Turbo Snails and 1 baby unidentified snail and another snail from the LR.
 
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