Time For Some Janitors !!

bacffin

bacffin

Member
It's Time

After this long learning and waiting period, about 5 months, it's time for the tanks first live stock. I'm doing a 20% water change and heading out to my lfs to pick up some reef janitors. I am not going all out and load it up at first in case something is wrong in my tank and kill my first inhabitants and my wallet. I'm probably being over cautious here, but I would rather play it safe.
I have a few questions I hope some can help me with.
1) Can I keep both blue and red legged crabs in the same tank? I heard they like to fight with each other? Also, is one type better at cleaning than the other? How many empty shells should I provide for each crab?
2) Can I keep a fire shrimp and a coral banded shrimp in the same tank? Or some cleaner shrimp and a coral banded shrimp? My wife really likes the cbs but I like the fire and cleaner. It would be cool to have all three types, but I don't think I can do this and keep the tank peaceful.
3) Snails, what type are the best cleaners and the easiest to care for? I am still a little lost on the quantity I should get also. My tank is 45 gallons.
I really appreciate all the help I got from everyone on this amazing site. If it wasn't for this site, I would have spent a ton of dough needlessly and would have probably given up from frustration. And now it's time for chapter 2 of this amazing hobby. :D
Thanks Again,
Bruce
 
_nix_

_nix_

Member
I can give some advice just through my experience.
1. Yes, blue & red (talking the small legged) will fight. I got twenty five of each (wanted diversity), and over time I only had blue legs left.
That said, I got some zebras, and they are taking over from the blues. I still have blues left, just not as many from when I added the zebras. I don't have any fish that are crab killers either for what it is worth.
I would offer a bunch of shells of varying sizes and shapes. I've watched my crabs try multiple shells before finding one they like.
2. Not sure about the shrimp. I have a cleaner and a camelback in my tank. They have a bunch of space to roam, so they don't seem to bother each other. But this doesn't answer your question. I would probably just advise if you are going to get a cbs, go smaller than the cleaner.
I am just saying this due to the claw size of the cbs vs. the cleaner. I don't have any personal knowledge of the interaction between the two, but making an educated assumption.
3. I like ceriths snails personally. The go through your sandbed, but they also go on the glass and rock. Sidenote: Your crabs might like to have a cerith snack. Both for the shell of the snail, but also for the food. I have TONS of shells along my sandbed, but my crabs still go and have a snack. Frustrating, but unfortunately the facts of life.
For true rock and glass cleaning, I would run with some turbos. I have had problems with turbos, but most people really like them.
For color, you could try some bumble bee snails. They do kind of the same job as cerith.
For amounts, someone with more experience might want to weigh in on this, but at least a snail for every gallon of your tank. I have run with this figure, and have had no problems. But then again, they are you cleanup crew, so they are just helping your tank.
Sorry for the long reply, but hopefully this helps!
 
ant

ant

Member
Bruce, congrats on your new inhabitants! It's a very exciting time for you. I will put my two cents in and you can make your own decision.
It's my understanding that you cannot put coral banded shrimps with any other shrimps because they will kill them. What I've read on several posts. I personally have one cleaner shrimp, one peppermint shrimp, and one pistol shrimp. I'd rather have a variety of peaceful shrimp than just one shrimp. IMO. Those who have the CBS love them so maybe they will chime in.
I have 10 blue leg hermits and 10 red legged hermits now. I had more but they did fight. I lost two reds and one blue in over a month or so. Every one seems fine now. I bought a bunch of shells and just put them all over. They will continually change shells. It's quite funny. I had one blue leg that changed shells three times in one day. If you don't have extra shells they will fight each other for them.
I have one turbo and 5 astrea snails and they are doing a great job in my 20 gal.
It's really up to you about how many you would like to have in your tank. Start with a number and if the tank is not getting cleaned then add some more. I started having a hair algae problem a while back. I bought some more crabs and snails and they cleaned it right up. I was so pleased. I'm sure someone has a number or rule of thumb for how many.
Good luck. The funs only beginning. Ant.
 
bacffin

bacffin

Member
Wow, man I hate Comcast...When I need the computer the most for Q&A it goes down. :mad: I have been down all afternoon. It's been doing this every other day for the past 2 weeks! I think I'll send them a payment every 6 months and see how they like it!! (I know, I know, I'll lose).
Anyway enough of my rant... Ant and nix, thanks for your replies.
_nIx_, Welcome to the best of on the web for info and support, really! :yes: Your post was not long and thank you for your valuable info and experience. I already picked myself up some empty shells to make sure the war(s) were not based on that. Hope it works.
Because my provider was down, I didn't wait and just went to one of my lfs's and got a cbs, 10 blue leg, and 10 astrea snails. I drip acclimated them for about 2 hours then put them in the tank. I put the snails and crabs in with no problem, but when it came to putting in the cbs, it got it's claws stuck in the net and I could tell it was getting stressed so I quickly put the net in the tank. The next thing I know is I look in the tank and there is this white cotton ball looking stuff floating around and the cbs's large arms and claws are floating around in the tank too. :scared: I look down at the shrimp and it was chilling out in the corner behind a rock. Defiantly in shock.
My first thought was what did I do? Did I mess him up some how? Is my tank not ready? I just let things be for an hour and he seemed to be fine, hanging on a rock eating with his smaller claws. The only thing I can think of is that this is a built in defense mechanism otherwise he should be dead by now. Any one have an explanation for this?
Now because the first lfs I went to didn't have any red leg, Mexican turbos, or any other shrimp, I went to another to see what they had any. I ended up getting 10 reds, 1 Mexican turbo and because the cbs is clawless and now less harmful I hope, I took a chance and got a camel back shrimp. We'll see if it makes it. The are drip acclimating now.
Wow....You are right Ant, the fun (adventure) is starting off right away :D
Bruce
 
bacffin

bacffin

Member
Wow...that Mexican Turbo plows through eveything.
He has only been in the tank an hour and he's got the whole top of a rock totaly clean....Man what a beast :D Thanks for the suggestion Mud.
Bruce
 
kart racer

kart racer

Member
Bacffin, In the reef tank I had I kept a cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp and a coral banded shrimp. I personally never had any problems with the 3 together. The only thing was that the fire shrimp hid all the time.
 
bacffin

bacffin

Member
That's good to know Kart, thanks. The camelback I put in seems to be hinding alot. Don't know if it is just an adjustment period or not. Anyone know what that cotton ball looking stuff the cbs discharged would be?
Bruce
 
jayc

jayc

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bacffin
Wow...that Mexican Turbo plows through eveything.
He has only been in the tank an hour and he's got the whole top of a rock totaly clean....Man what a beast :D Thanks for the suggestion Mud.
Bruce
Yea I got one of them turbos and he does a real good job of cleaning.
 
_nix_

_nix_

Member
My camel back hid for a bit, but now it comes out and cruises.
They move very spiderish for a shrimp, but a cool guy all the same.
If you are planning to get corals at some point, watch your camel back. They have been known to nip at corals.
Just to give you a heads up!
 
kart racer

kart racer

Member
Not sure about the discharge, mine did that to. Dont worry about the claws, I broke mine when I first bought him and when I sold my reef I kept him for my 20 gallon and broke them off of him then to.
 
newbiereef

newbiereef

Member
1 snail for each gallon is the best for snials and id add 30-40 crabs. i have cleaner shrimp and its really neat to watch them clean the fish. they go through whats like a little car wash. and i have 2 serpent stars as well.
 
dskidmore

dskidmore

Active Member
Originally Posted by newbiereef
i have cleaner shrimp and its really neat to watch them clean the fish. they go through whats like a little car wash.
Cool, I've heard that many cleaner shrimp in captivity don't actually clean. What variety of cleaners do you have? What is your feeding schedule like? (It has been theorized that overfeeding makes shrimp reluctant to clean.)
 
bacffin

bacffin

Member
Originally Posted by _nIx_
If you are planning to get corals at some point, watch your camel back. They have been known to nip at corals.
I am not planning any corals at this time. Maybe after a year or so, I'll think about upgrading.
Thanks
 
bacffin

bacffin

Member
Originally Posted by newbiereef
1 snail for each gallon is the best for snials and id add 30-40 crabs. i have cleaner shrimp and its really neat to watch them clean the fish. they go through whats like a little car wash. and i have 2 serpent stars as well.
Wow, 1 snail per gallon. That seems like allot for a 45 gallon tank to me. Is that like a rule of thumb. I only got 10 asterea snails and 1 Mexican turbo. Turbo is the most productive.
 
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