snails with picasso/niger trigger?

chirojosh · 08/30/2007, 11:43 AM

Looking for something to help with algae and detitus cleanup, FO tank with a niger and picasso. Is there anything to get. I read the trigger will eat urchins.

JetCat USA · 08/30/2007, 12:31 PM

the Niger is not gonna be a problem for the most part with snails/hermits but depending on the size of the Picasso he may be, snails have the best opportunity because they stay stuck to the rock/glass and aren't overly fast movers so they don't get the triggers attention as much as hermits, and believe it or not, some hermits get quickly educated to the point they lay tucked in their shells with lights on and only forage at night, they 'learn' the triggers behavior of he'll snap when they are out crawling.

crazinezz978 · 08/30/2007, 01:08 PM

try a tiger cowrie. my brothers 7inch picasso lives with a couple in his 180.

happyface888 · 08/30/2007, 09:12 PM

From what I was told as long as it doesnt fit into the triggers mouth he wont eat it? Well not sure if that works though

JetCat USA · 08/30/2007, 09:29 PM

it doesn't, they'll take mouth sized bits out of things to large too fit in whole.

happyface888 · 08/30/2007, 09:34 PM

Ouch that means its going to be hard to find a clean up crew for that picassos of his...

JetCat USA · 08/30/2007, 10:00 PM

No not really, read the other posts above, they explain things.

wshive · 09/03/2007, 07:02 PM

The only thing I've had real luck with are Strawberry hermits (though I haven't tried cowries or urchins). They are extremely aggressive and get quite large (mine used to attack anything that came close to it including my foot long snowflake eel, dog-face puffer, and niger trigger). Personally, I've had one grow to about softball size. I hear they can get much bigger, like six inches across

(though i've never seen one that large).

Do research them as they require special care. You will have to provide them with larger shells as they grow as well as take them out of the tank (put them in the fuge) when they molt as they're very vulnerable at that point. You can tell when they're about to molt because they tend to duck in a cave for days on end, not coming out, even when you're feeding the tank.

They are great though as they eat any excess food, sift through the sand, and pick algae off of rocks. You may still have to clean the glass, but the sand and rock will stay pretty clean.

08/30/2007, 11:43 AM	#1
chirojosh Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 229	snails with picasso/niger trigger? Looking for something to help with algae and detitus cleanup, FO tank with a niger and picasso. Is there anything to get. I read the trigger will eat urchins.

08/30/2007, 12:31 PM	#2
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	the Niger is not gonna be a problem for the most part with snails/hermits but depending on the size of the Picasso he may be, snails have the best opportunity because they stay stuck to the rock/glass and aren't overly fast movers so they don't get the triggers attention as much as hermits, and believe it or not, some hermits get quickly educated to the point they lay tucked in their shells with lights on and only forage at night, they 'learn' the triggers behavior of he'll snap when they are out crawling.

08/30/2007, 01:08 PM	#3
crazinezz978 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Montclair, nj Posts: 220	try a tiger cowrie. my brothers 7inch picasso lives with a couple in his 180.

08/30/2007, 09:12 PM	#4
happyface888 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco CA Posts: 3,987	From what I was told as long as it doesnt fit into the triggers mouth he wont eat it? Well not sure if that works though

08/30/2007, 09:29 PM	#5
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	it doesn't, they'll take mouth sized bits out of things to large too fit in whole.

08/30/2007, 09:34 PM	#6
happyface888 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco CA Posts: 3,987	Ouch that means its going to be hard to find a clean up crew for that picassos of his...

08/30/2007, 10:00 PM	#7
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	No not really, read the other posts above, they explain things.

09/03/2007, 07:02 PM	#8
wshive Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 127	The only thing I've had real luck with are Strawberry hermits (though I haven't tried cowries or urchins). They are extremely aggressive and get quite large (mine used to attack anything that came close to it including my foot long snowflake eel, dog-face puffer, and niger trigger). Personally, I've had one grow to about softball size. I hear they can get much bigger, like six inches across (though i've never seen one that large). Do research them as they require special care. You will have to provide them with larger shells as they grow as well as take them out of the tank (put them in the fuge) when they molt as they're very vulnerable at that point. You can tell when they're about to molt because they tend to duck in a cave for days on end, not coming out, even when you're feeding the tank. They are great though as they eat any excess food, sift through the sand, and pick algae off of rocks. You may still have to clean the glass, but the sand and rock will stay pretty clean.