How many tank cleaners for a 29 gallon tank??

Geejo4 · 07/16/2006, 07:49 PM

Hey everyone! I am new to this forum and new to keeping saltwater tanks. My question is how many tank cleaners should be in a 29 gallon FOWLR? Also what types of snails and hermit crabs are the best cleaners. On a website they suggested these tank cleaners for a 30 gallon. Is this okay? Thank you.

10 - Cerith Snails
05 - Nassarius Snails
10 - Nerite Snails
01 - Sand Sifting Starfish
01 - Brittle Starfish
10 - Mexican Turbo Snails
20 - Mexican Red Leg Hermits
01 - Cleaner Shrimp

-Joey

Fishy Business · 07/16/2006, 07:52 PM

That seems a little excessive to me for a 29 gal. JMO.
Just make sure the crabs are well fed or you will lose some snails before you know it.

Also, be careful as to what fish you end up buying, some like to eat shrimp and starfish.

Andrew · 07/16/2006, 07:55 PM

I would get:

10: Nassarius Snails
10: Astrea
1: Cleaner shrimp

I myself stay away from hermits since they tend to kill snails.

Geejo4 · 07/17/2006, 08:28 AM

10 Nassarius Snails, 10 Astrea, and 1 cleaner shrimp sounds good to me. I had no idea that hermits kill snails so thank you. Could I also keep though brittle star though? Or do you think that would still be too much? Maybe for the detrius(sp.)? Thank you.
-joey

Dubbin1 · 07/17/2006, 10:17 AM

You may want to throw a few cerith snails into the mix.

Geejo4 · 07/17/2006, 03:21 PM

Dubbin, would about 5 be good?

boilermaker1 · 07/17/2006, 04:15 PM

In my 29, I had 2 cleaner shrimp (1 fire, 1 skunk) that cleaned very little, 2 red hermits (the bigger ones) and a small army of blue and burgundy hermits (the finger nail sized ones, maybe 20 of them), 3 Astrea snails, a bunch of ceriths (about 6), some margaritas (about 10)and some nassarius snails (I think 6).
If the snails were supposed to clean the glass, they stunk at it, the crabs did a good job with the rock/sand though.

07/16/2006, 07:49 PM	#1
Geejo4 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 8	How many tank cleaners for a 29 gallon tank?? Hey everyone! I am new to this forum and new to keeping saltwater tanks. My question is how many tank cleaners should be in a 29 gallon FOWLR? Also what types of snails and hermit crabs are the best cleaners. On a website they suggested these tank cleaners for a 30 gallon. Is this okay? Thank you. 10 - Cerith Snails 05 - Nassarius Snails 10 - Nerite Snails 01 - Sand Sifting Starfish 01 - Brittle Starfish 10 - Mexican Turbo Snails 20 - Mexican Red Leg Hermits 01 - Cleaner Shrimp -Joey

07/16/2006, 07:52 PM	#2
Fishy Business Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 537	That seems a little excessive to me for a 29 gal. JMO. Just make sure the crabs are well fed or you will lose some snails before you know it. Also, be careful as to what fish you end up buying, some like to eat shrimp and starfish. __________________ Here to pick your brain and pick-pocket myself at the same time.

07/16/2006, 07:55 PM	#3
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	I would get: 10: Nassarius Snails 10: Astrea 1: Cleaner shrimp I myself stay away from hermits since they tend to kill snails.

07/17/2006, 08:28 AM	#4
Geejo4 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 8	10 Nassarius Snails, 10 Astrea, and 1 cleaner shrimp sounds good to me. I had no idea that hermits kill snails so thank you. Could I also keep though brittle star though? Or do you think that would still be too much? Maybe for the detrius(sp.)? Thank you. -joey

07/17/2006, 10:17 AM	#5
Dubbin1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Findlay, Ohio Posts: 11,540	You may want to throw a few cerith snails into the mix.

07/17/2006, 03:21 PM	#6
Geejo4 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 8	Dubbin, would about 5 be good?

07/17/2006, 04:15 PM	#7
boilermaker1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chantilly, VA Posts: 784	In my 29, I had 2 cleaner shrimp (1 fire, 1 skunk) that cleaned very little, 2 red hermits (the bigger ones) and a small army of blue and burgundy hermits (the finger nail sized ones, maybe 20 of them), 3 Astrea snails, a bunch of ceriths (about 6), some margaritas (about 10)and some nassarius snails (I think 6). If the snails were supposed to clean the glass, they stunk at it, the crabs did a good job with the rock/sand though.