How many CUC members?(dont want to starve them)

toruk · 08/10/2016, 11:32 AM

Hey so i'm starting my 40B FOWLR setup. All my live rock I got from a guy up the street who was breaking down his tank. The tank cycled pretty much instantly I have not detected any ammonia or nitrite in the last 10 days. Nitrate is a bit high though(20ppm). But I have not done a water change in 10 days and am doing one today. Anyway I am going to add(actually more) CUC members in the next week. I am just not sure how much to get.

So the rock came with 2 scarlet red hermit crabs(at least I think that's what they are there is so much coralline algae on thier shells). It came with like 1 unknown snail(algae eating kind) and it came with one LARGE Nassarius snail. Now that I think of it I have never seen a Nassarius snail so large so it may be something else? It also came with a whole rock covered in button polyps who seem to be doing well.

So websites say add a crab and snail per gallon which from researching on here is WAAAAYY too much and I have heard a snail or crab every 5 gallons is better? But is that a snail/crab of each type or total? I don't want my CUC to starve. I wanted to get maybe 1 or 2 more scarlet hermits and maybe like 4 more algae eating snails? and like 3 or 4 nassarius snails? Is that ok or too much?

Side note I also have 4 pretty big lava snails that i'm probably going to sell. They are really nice so i'm not sure. They are related to MTS. I had them in freshwater and 'transitioned' them to salt. I also have some juvenile mollies in there but that's temporary. My final stock will be an eel and either a pair of cleaner shrimp or neon gobies. May keep a couple mollies in there too. Any ideas? Let me know if you guys need any more information.

Wazzel · 08/10/2016, 12:24 PM

In my 60 I had 5 or 6 snails and 1 emerald crab total. Any more than that and they would die. I suggest getting CUC local and add 1 or 2 at a time until they can keep up.

My 120 has the few snail and crab from the 60 plus an urchin and 2 hermit crabs that were in my 20 frag tank. No plans at this time to add anything.

Potatohead · 08/10/2016, 12:32 PM

I have a 36g with five nassarius snails, six trochus, six blue legged hermits and a bunch of stomatella snails that hitch hiked their way in... It seems to work well. I almost never see the trochus they typically come out at night only.

toruk · 08/10/2016, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wazzel

In my 60 I had 5 or 6 snails and 1 emerald crab total. Any more than that and they would die. I suggest getting CUC local and add 1 or 2 at a time until they can keep up.

My 120 has the few snail and crab from the 60 plus an urchin and 2 hermit crabs that were in my 20 frag tank. No plans at this time to add anything.

I like the idea of adding in small numbers maybe I will just add a few every week or so until I get the numbers I want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Potatohead

I have a 36g with five nassarius snails, six trochus, six blue legged hermits and a bunch of stomatella snails that hitch hiked their way in... It seems to work well. I almost never see the trochus they typically come out at night only.

How stocked was your tank?

jlmawp · 08/10/2016, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toruk

It came with like 1 unknown snail(algae eating kind) and it came with one LARGE Nassarius snail. Now that I think of it I have never seen a Nassarius snail so large so it may be something else?

I also acquired a mystery large Nassarius-type and it took me a while to identify it (ended up doing so with a vague hint from some forum post from 7 years ago).

Try looking up both Cone Snail and Olive Snail. Hopefully for your sake, it's an Olive snail!

Potatohead · 08/10/2016, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toruk

I like the idea of adding in small numbers maybe I will just add a few every week or so until I get the numbers I want.

How stocked was your tank?

I only have two clowns and a six line. I have been wanting to add one or two more fish but just haven't done it yet. I do feed pretty heavily in order to also feed the CUC, but my nitrates stay pretty low so it seems to work fine.

earwicker7 · 08/11/2016, 10:43 AM

I am one of those people who likes huge clean up crews... I don't agree that they are guaranteed to starve. With heavy feeding and good means of nutrient export, you can keep them alive and still have a low nutrient tank.

08/10/2016, 11:32 AM	#1
toruk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 96	How many CUC members?(dont want to starve them) Hey so i'm starting my 40B FOWLR setup. All my live rock I got from a guy up the street who was breaking down his tank. The tank cycled pretty much instantly I have not detected any ammonia or nitrite in the last 10 days. Nitrate is a bit high though(20ppm). But I have not done a water change in 10 days and am doing one today. Anyway I am going to add(actually more) CUC members in the next week. I am just not sure how much to get. So the rock came with 2 scarlet red hermit crabs(at least I think that's what they are there is so much coralline algae on thier shells). It came with like 1 unknown snail(algae eating kind) and it came with one LARGE Nassarius snail. Now that I think of it I have never seen a Nassarius snail so large so it may be something else? It also came with a whole rock covered in button polyps who seem to be doing well. So websites say add a crab and snail per gallon which from researching on here is WAAAAYY too much and I have heard a snail or crab every 5 gallons is better? But is that a snail/crab of each type or total? I don't want my CUC to starve. I wanted to get maybe 1 or 2 more scarlet hermits and maybe like 4 more algae eating snails? and like 3 or 4 nassarius snails? Is that ok or too much? Side note I also have 4 pretty big lava snails that i'm probably going to sell. They are really nice so i'm not sure. They are related to MTS. I had them in freshwater and 'transitioned' them to salt. I also have some juvenile mollies in there but that's temporary. My final stock will be an eel and either a pair of cleaner shrimp or neon gobies. May keep a couple mollies in there too. Any ideas? Let me know if you guys need any more information.

08/10/2016, 12:24 PM	#2
Wazzel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Houma, LA Posts: 4,743	In my 60 I had 5 or 6 snails and 1 emerald crab total. Any more than that and they would die. I suggest getting CUC local and add 1 or 2 at a time until they can keep up. My 120 has the few snail and crab from the 60 plus an urchin and 2 hermit crabs that were in my 20 frag tank. No plans at this time to add anything. __________________ Mark Beware the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's a train. Current Tank Info: 120, LED, Bare Bottom, SPS/LPS

08/10/2016, 12:32 PM	#3
Potatohead Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Vancouver Posts: 1,596	I have a 36g with five nassarius snails, six trochus, six blue legged hermits and a bunch of stomatella snails that hitch hiked their way in... It seems to work well. I almost never see the trochus they typically come out at night only.

08/11/2016, 10:43 AM	#7
earwicker7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 150	I am one of those people who likes huge clean up crews... I don't agree that they are guaranteed to starve. With heavy feeding and good means of nutrient export, you can keep them alive and still have a low nutrient tank.