what would you recommend

[hawthorn]

hi guys
i was wondering what clean up crew you would recommend for a 30 gallon FOWLR that has no predators in there.

 

[treybom]

electric hermit crab
5 turbos
10 nassarius
ns what else......
cleaner shrimp

 

[oceanists]

2 snails for every 3 gallons
1.5 hermits per gallon
2 Cleaner Shrimp
4 PEppermint shrimp
and a couple brittle stars

 

[kdfrosty]

Personally I think that 5 Turbos in a 30g is a bit excessive. I would go with a couple of turbos, as well as some Nassarius and Bumblebee snails. About 15 hermits would be good as well. A Peppermint Shrimp and a Cleaner Shrimp too. JMO

 

[wax32]

Here's my 70 gallon crew:
1 Turbo snail, 3 Astraea snails, 1 Trochus snail, 5 Nassarius snails, 2 Cerithium snails, 2 fire shrimp and about 10 mixed hermits. I also have 2 Mithrax crabs but I am sending them to the sump. The bigger one forages in my zoanthids too much and knocks them loose.

 

[cheapfish1]

my 30 gallon cleaning crew that has been extremely successful in keeping everything clean is
6 hermits
2 turbos
3 small black snails not sure what kind
and 1 cleaner shrimp.
no algae really growing anywhere

 

[hawthorn]

thanks guys i will be heading down to my lfs very soon to get the clean up crew ive decided on this to see how it goes tell me what you think.
1 x cleaner shrimp
2 x peppermint shrimp
5 x turbos
5 x nassarius
4 x red legged hermits

 

[kdfrosty]

Less Turbos, more Nassarius, IMO

 

[jdragunas]

i agree. more nassarius. These are very small snails (compared to others...)
Also, cleaner shrimp are happier in pairs, so i'd suggest getting two of those.
and make sure you have extra shells (of all sizes) for the hermits, or they will attack the snails and take their shells.

 

[1journeyman]

More snails, less hermits... hermits can be evil.
I've had luck with emerald crabs, but many haven't so use at your own risk.

 

[wax32]

Just make sure you don't get Turbo snails, AKA Mexican Turbos... they get huge. You want Astraea snails, which are commonly called turbos.

Turbo snail

Astraea snail

 

[1journeyman]

Another point worth mentioning is that Nass. snails are more detritus feeders than algae eaters. My snails rarely come out of the sand till feeding time.
Ceriths are good, small snails that eat algae.

 

[kdfrosty]

For example, I probably have 65+ Nassarius Snails in my 50g tank. They bury themsleves in my DSB and come out when it's chow time.
A good size reference is that I can fit 3 Nassarius Snails on a dime. Literally.

 

[1journeyman]

Hmm... well my Nass. snails are each about a nickel size.

 

[mudplayerx]

Do you have live rock?
For a 30 gallon fish only, I would recommend the following. Snails and hermits are mandatory in my opinion:
1 - 2 mexican turbo snail(s)
15 cleaner hermit crabs
I also recommend a supplemental addition to your cleaner crews such as 1 of the following:
2-3 saron shrimp
1 brittlestar
1 detrivore sea cucumber
2-3 emerald crabs

 

[wax32]

There are two differnet commonly encountered Nassarius snails. The most common is tiny. There are also ones labled as "Super Tongan Nassarius." Those are huge. Mine are about the size of a quarter.

 

[jdragunas]

i put mine in the tank, and never saw them again... do you think they're still alive??? They don't even come out when i feed...

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by jdragunas
i put mine in the tank, and never saw them again... do you think they're still alive??? They don't even come out when i feed...
Hmm, no.. doesn't sound like it, sorry to say..