CUC (or lack of) question

805reef · 06/19/2009, 11:31 AM

my wife brought up the point of how come whenever we go somewhere and look at these nice big reef tanks, we never see a bunch of snails and crabs running around on the sand, glass and rocks. usually just a few big snails, maybe. and in my tank i got all kinds of little snails and crabs everywhere. of course i bought them all from reefcleaners, based off there suggestion, but are they really needed or not? How do these other tanks, such as the DT at LFS not have tons of snails and crabs everywhere? I like the look of the sand better then sand with a big load of little snail shells everywhere...

OneArmedBandit · 06/19/2009, 01:17 PM

I've had my 110 gal going for about 8-10 months without a cleaning crew. Heck I don't even have a filter, just powerheads and a ton of LR. I got sick of replacing dead snails because they couldn't right themselves aafter falling and stopped getting hermits because it just seemed like a waste... -Steve

dudley moray · 06/19/2009, 01:57 PM

short lifespan and constant battleing for alpha status among hermits only one or two is actually needed as soon as food supply runs low fighting begins they also eat the snails who can right themselves scarlet reef hermits are the least aggressive

WaterKeeper · 06/19/2009, 02:09 PM

Yes, snails are fine and even if they die, which they do, they can be replace fairly cheaply. Hermits tend to be more of a pest than a valuable member of the CUC so one or two, at most, is best.

805reef · 06/19/2009, 02:42 PM

thanks for the input guys, now im thinking what the ... am i going to do with all these crabs i got! maybe i should start catching them and try to give them to someone who needs them. i would like to keep the red scarlet i have and the blue ones....
not looking forward to telling me wife about this... she will be quick to say i told you so. lol

thedoctor06 · 06/19/2009, 02:46 PM

Get someone to loan you their mantis shrimp anf feed him well for a few weeks

06/19/2009, 11:31 AM	#1
805reef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 1,588	CUC (or lack of) question my wife brought up the point of how come whenever we go somewhere and look at these nice big reef tanks, we never see a bunch of snails and crabs running around on the sand, glass and rocks. usually just a few big snails, maybe. and in my tank i got all kinds of little snails and crabs everywhere. of course i bought them all from reefcleaners, based off there suggestion, but are they really needed or not? How do these other tanks, such as the DT at LFS not have tons of snails and crabs everywhere? I like the look of the sand better then sand with a big load of little snail shells everywhere...

06/19/2009, 01:17 PM	#2
OneArmedBandit Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Utica, MI Posts: 142	I've had my 110 gal going for about 8-10 months without a cleaning crew. Heck I don't even have a filter, just powerheads and a ton of LR. I got sick of replacing dead snails because they couldn't right themselves aafter falling and stopped getting hermits because it just seemed like a waste... -Steve __________________ Current tank: ~150 gal. Display (FOWLR), 75 gal. Sump (50 gal. actual water volume), 400 lbs. LR

06/19/2009, 01:57 PM	#3
dudley moray sisternofuselessknowledge Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: orillia ontario Posts: 795	short lifespan and constant battleing for alpha status among hermits only one or two is actually needed as soon as food supply runs low fighting begins they also eat the snails who can right themselves scarlet reef hermits are the least aggressive __________________ We urge hobbyists to develop a good 'BS' detector that will allow you to question information presented to you without any experimental evidence to support it. chris Current Tank Info: 90 gal south pacific biotope 40 gal sump/fuge ,65 gal rebuilding

06/19/2009, 02:09 PM	#4
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Yes, snails are fine and even if they die, which they do, they can be replace fairly cheaply. Hermits tend to be more of a pest than a valuable member of the CUC so one or two, at most, is best. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

06/19/2009, 02:42 PM	#5
805reef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oxnard, CA Posts: 1,588	thanks for the input guys, now im thinking what the ... am i going to do with all these crabs i got! maybe i should start catching them and try to give them to someone who needs them. i would like to keep the red scarlet i have and the blue ones.... not looking forward to telling me wife about this... she will be quick to say i told you so. lol __________________ Vince 300 gallon peninsula, return:RD3 Speedy 230, Turbo's Rev4 L2 Algae Turf Scrubber, (2) Gyre 150s, Advanced Acrylic sump, (4) Ocean Revive T247s, Apex (classic w/ black sticker;):D)

06/19/2009, 02:46 PM	#6
thedoctor06 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Centennial, CO Posts: 188	Get someone to loan you their mantis shrimp anf feed him well for a few weeks