newbie question on cuc

duy · 09/12/2013, 01:24 AM

is there any other cleanup crew that is similar to hermit crabs....

i took out all the hermit crabs because they ate all the nassirus snails =(

so any other cleaners would be helpful with the cleanup instead of hermit crabs

duy · 09/12/2013, 01:27 AM

better yet
any suggestions on the make up of the cuc for a 38 gallon nuvo tank?

whiteshark · 09/12/2013, 01:34 AM

Nassarius, Nerites, Dwarf Cerinth, and hope you get some hitchhiking stomatellas. I don't like Turbos because they are so big and clumsy. Great algae eaters, but they plow over anything in their way (including expensive coral frags

) You might also consider something like a Fire Shrimp that will munch any food the fish miss.

duy · 09/12/2013, 02:00 AM

yeah i have turbos in....and its knocking everything over..im slowly getting rid of them too.
thanks for the advice.

RandoReefer · 09/12/2013, 02:28 AM

I love my Emerald Crabs. They are particularly good at trimming any algae growth on your LR....(particularly bubble). I shove little peices of seaweed in between and under rocks once a week, to supplement their feeding if there isn't much to pick at.

Also, great fun to watch when the sun goes down!

duy · 09/16/2013, 10:02 PM

no crabs..i do like emeralds..but i cant risk them killing all the snails or small fishes

rtecanoe · 09/17/2013, 06:53 AM

Scarlet reef hermit crabs are the only ones I get now - don't seem to bother snails much at all

Meanmike · 09/17/2013, 08:29 AM

I say there's another issue such as not enough food. I have probably 40 plus crabs and the only time they touch snails are for a shell which can be drastically reduced by putting a lot of empty shells in the tank. I have never seen one touch a healthy nassirus snail not even for a shell so either your not feeding the crabs enough or the snails were dying already. My favorite crabs are emerald and scarlet reef. As for snails I would recommend Mexican and zebra turbos and Astraea.

AquaticFins · 09/17/2013, 10:09 AM

A small serpent starfish or a few mini brittle starfish would perform the same rock-cleaning/scavenging duties that hermit crabs are typically relied on for.

They won't eat the filamentous algae that hermit crabs will, but snails or algae-eating blennies or damselfish can probably keep up with that unless you have a serious outbreak.

M.phenax · 09/17/2013, 10:23 AM

What else do you have in your tank?
I have brittle/serpent stars in my pred tank
In other tanks I have various snail species, blue leg hermits, peppermint shrimp

robotman · 09/17/2013, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duy

no crabs..i do like emeralds..but i cant risk them killing all the snails or small fishes

astreas, nassarius, ceriths, serpent stars are cool.

09/12/2013, 01:24 AM	#1
duy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 45	newbie question on cuc is there any other cleanup crew that is similar to hermit crabs.... i took out all the hermit crabs because they ate all the nassirus snails =( so any other cleaners would be helpful with the cleanup instead of hermit crabs

09/12/2013, 01:34 AM	#3
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	Nassarius, Nerites, Dwarf Cerinth, and hope you get some hitchhiking stomatellas. I don't like Turbos because they are so big and clumsy. Great algae eaters, but they plow over anything in their way (including expensive coral frags ) You might also consider something like a Fire Shrimp that will munch any food the fish miss. __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

09/12/2013, 02:28 AM	#5
RandoReefer Randy_BRS Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Minnesota Posts: 212 Blog Entries: 7	I love my Emerald Crabs. They are particularly good at trimming any algae growth on your LR....(particularly bubble). I shove little peices of seaweed in between and under rocks once a week, to supplement their feeding if there isn't much to pick at. Also, great fun to watch when the sun goes down! __________________ 8x24" ATI Dimmable w/Blue ReefBrite Tech strip; Apex Lite (2EBs, PM1 Module, BBox); 4x MP10QDwES; Custom Emerald 26 Trigger; Skimz SM203; Vectra M1; GeoCR612; MasterFlex 7523-60; Digital CO2Reg; Current Tank Info: 93g Reef (Mixed, mostly SPS)

09/17/2013, 06:53 AM	#7
rtecanoe Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oakdale, Long Island Posts: 512	Scarlet reef hermit crabs are the only ones I get now - don't seem to bother snails much at all __________________ Rick Current Tank Info: 180 gallon reef

09/17/2013, 08:29 AM	#8
Meanmike Moved On Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Maine Posts: 473	I say there's another issue such as not enough food. I have probably 40 plus crabs and the only time they touch snails are for a shell which can be drastically reduced by putting a lot of empty shells in the tank. I have never seen one touch a healthy nassirus snail not even for a shell so either your not feeding the crabs enough or the snails were dying already. My favorite crabs are emerald and scarlet reef. As for snails I would recommend Mexican and zebra turbos and Astraea. Last edited by Meanmike; 09/17/2013 at 08:39 AM.

09/12/2013, 01:27 AM	#2
duy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 45	better yet any suggestions on the make up of the cuc for a 38 gallon nuvo tank?

09/12/2013, 02:00 AM	#4
duy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 45	yeah i have turbos in....and its knocking everything over..im slowly getting rid of them too. thanks for the advice.

09/16/2013, 10:02 PM	#6
duy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 45	no crabs..i do like emeralds..but i cant risk them killing all the snails or small fishes

09/17/2013, 10:09 AM	#9
AquaticFins Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 887	A small serpent starfish or a few mini brittle starfish would perform the same rock-cleaning/scavenging duties that hermit crabs are typically relied on for. They won't eat the filamentous algae that hermit crabs will, but snails or algae-eating blennies or damselfish can probably keep up with that unless you have a serious outbreak.

09/17/2013, 10:23 AM	#10
M.phenax not Blondie Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: St Pete, FL Posts: 127	What else do you have in your tank? I have brittle/serpent stars in my pred tank In other tanks I have various snail species, blue leg hermits, peppermint shrimp