CUC amounts of critters

Cozwey · 11/18/2013, 08:55 PM

So we found this info on a LFS site from a place that I have purchased from before. This struck me as odd given the amounts of the various creatures that it says to have for a CUC. Does this seam over kill. I have a 120 gallon and I have no where near the amount of package #6.

Any thoughts or comments?

COMMON NAME
TANK SIZE
CONTENTS

Package #1
5 - 10 Gallons
5 - Blue Legged Hermits
1 - Red Scarlet Hermit
3 - Astrea Snails
2 - Margarita Snails

Package #2
15 - 25 Gallons
12 - Blue Legged Hermits
3 - Red Scarlet Hermit
5 - Astrea Snails
5 - Margarita Snails
5 - Cerith Snails

Package #3
30 - 45 Gallons
30 - Blue Legged Hermits
5 - Red Scarlet Hermit
10 - Astrea Snails
10 - Margarita Snails
10 - Cerith Snails

Package #4
50 - 60 Gallons
45 - Blue Legged Hermits
6 - Red Scarlet Hermit
15 - Astrea Snails
15 - Margarita Snails
15 - Cerith Snails

Package #5
70 - 90 Gallons
60 - Blue Legged Hermits
10 - Red Scarlet Hermit
20 - Astrea Snails
20 - Margarita Snails
20 - Cerith Snails

Package #6
100 - 150 Gallons
100 - Blue Legged Hermits
15 - Red Scarlet Hermit
30 - Astrea Snails
30 - Margarita Snails
30 - Cerith Snails

Package #7
180 - 240 Gallons
150 - Blue Legged Hermits
30 - Red Scarlet Hermit
50 - Astrea Snails
50 - Margarita Snails
50 - Cerith Snails

nlgill13 · 11/18/2013, 09:40 PM

I have to admit I have a 90G and I use just a little more the Package #2...I would also suggest Nassarius snails.

FTDelta · 11/18/2013, 09:56 PM

A thought on snails. Hermit crabs will kill snails for their shells when they need a bigger shell themselves. I would get a few empty shells for the crabs.

UTCReefer · 11/18/2013, 10:17 PM

I'm more in line with no.2 Except that I only have 1 mexican turbo snail all together at this point. I never have more than 3 of them at a time in my 180gal. My tank isnt spotless by any means but my algae is under control and my cuc is healthy. My experience leads me to the conclusion that too many CUC will eventiually result in them starving and dying down to the number your tank can support. If you keep adding new clean up crews you will see this happen over and over.

Barro777 · 11/18/2013, 11:09 PM

Definitely overkill.

Rilelen · 11/19/2013, 12:53 AM

Yeah, CUC guidelines always seem vastly inflated to me. I bought a '15 gallon cleaner pack' for my 72 gallon. More than enough critters, plus I seem to have the most love-happy snails on the planet...every time i look in there, they seem to have laid eggs or grown more of the itsy bitsiest baby snails you've ever seen. I did get one hermit hitchhiker (otherwise it's all snails) - I will say the hermit is much more fun to watch than most of the snails, but I didn't want to deal with the pain of providing new shells/snails killed for their shells.

chain · 11/19/2013, 06:22 AM

I have around 10 snails and 5 hermits in my 29 gallon. The hermit crabs are kinda cool but man they are @$$holes! I had one of them dive bomb my conch from a rock up above. They crawl over every coral with total disregard for anything. I am moving to a 120 and don't plan on getting more hermits than what I have now.

11/18/2013, 08:55 PM	#1
Cozwey Go Canada!!!! Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 363 Blog Entries: 1	CUC amounts of critters So we found this info on a LFS site from a place that I have purchased from before. This struck me as odd given the amounts of the various creatures that it says to have for a CUC. Does this seam over kill. I have a 120 gallon and I have no where near the amount of package #6. Any thoughts or comments? COMMON NAME TANK SIZE CONTENTS Package #1 5 - 10 Gallons 5 - Blue Legged Hermits 1 - Red Scarlet Hermit 3 - Astrea Snails 2 - Margarita Snails Package #2 15 - 25 Gallons 12 - Blue Legged Hermits 3 - Red Scarlet Hermit 5 - Astrea Snails 5 - Margarita Snails 5 - Cerith Snails Package #3 30 - 45 Gallons 30 - Blue Legged Hermits 5 - Red Scarlet Hermit 10 - Astrea Snails 10 - Margarita Snails 10 - Cerith Snails Package #4 50 - 60 Gallons 45 - Blue Legged Hermits 6 - Red Scarlet Hermit 15 - Astrea Snails 15 - Margarita Snails 15 - Cerith Snails Package #5 70 - 90 Gallons 60 - Blue Legged Hermits 10 - Red Scarlet Hermit 20 - Astrea Snails 20 - Margarita Snails 20 - Cerith Snails Package #6 100 - 150 Gallons 100 - Blue Legged Hermits 15 - Red Scarlet Hermit 30 - Astrea Snails 30 - Margarita Snails 30 - Cerith Snails Package #7 180 - 240 Gallons 150 - Blue Legged Hermits 30 - Red Scarlet Hermit 50 - Astrea Snails 50 - Margarita Snails 50 - Cerith Snails __________________ QT, Go Slow, Read the Stickies People!!!! Current Tank Info: 120g FOWLR, 55 Perm QT, Full Apex, Kessil, Reef Octo, MP40's, MP10's, Plumbed ATO, BRS 2 part dosing.

11/18/2013, 09:40 PM	#2
nlgill13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Boulder,CO Posts: 1,291	I have to admit I have a 90G and I use just a little more the Package #2...I would also suggest Nassarius snails.

11/18/2013, 09:56 PM	#3
FTDelta Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NY Posts: 1,124	A thought on snails. Hermit crabs will kill snails for their shells when they need a bigger shell themselves. I would get a few empty shells for the crabs.

11/18/2013, 10:17 PM	#4
UTCReefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 652	I'm more in line with no.2 Except that I only have 1 mexican turbo snail all together at this point. I never have more than 3 of them at a time in my 180gal. My tank isnt spotless by any means but my algae is under control and my cuc is healthy. My experience leads me to the conclusion that too many CUC will eventiually result in them starving and dying down to the number your tank can support. If you keep adding new clean up crews you will see this happen over and over.

11/18/2013, 11:09 PM	#5
Barro777 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 173	Definitely overkill.

11/19/2013, 12:53 AM	#6
Rilelen Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 245	Yeah, CUC guidelines always seem vastly inflated to me. I bought a '15 gallon cleaner pack' for my 72 gallon. More than enough critters, plus I seem to have the most love-happy snails on the planet...every time i look in there, they seem to have laid eggs or grown more of the itsy bitsiest baby snails you've ever seen. I did get one hermit hitchhiker (otherwise it's all snails) - I will say the hermit is much more fun to watch than most of the snails, but I didn't want to deal with the pain of providing new shells/snails killed for their shells. __________________ 72g: Percula pair, Foxface, Kole tang, Midas Blenny, Blue/green chromis, Yellow & green clown goby pairs Office Nano Tank System (29 Gallon + 20 Gallon): Saltwater mollies + fry

11/19/2013, 06:22 AM	#7
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	I have around 10 snails and 5 hermits in my 29 gallon. The hermit crabs are kinda cool but man they are @$$holes! I had one of them dive bomb my conch from a rock up above. They crawl over every coral with total disregard for anything. I am moving to a 120 and don't plan on getting more hermits than what I have now.