Clean up crew for my 8gal cube

[Jayridge]

Just added an emerald crab, 2 hermits, an Astraea, and a Nassarius. I was wondering how long I should let them go at it before I add any corals and also if they are sufficient for this size on a tank.

 

[saltcreep1025]

MORE SNAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! id get more astrea and some ceriths, too.

 

[gboduszek]

Ya I agree with more snails. They do a good job on the glass for me

 

[gboduszek]

Just make sure you have extra shells for those hermits or else those snails will sooner or later just become food and a shell for your hermits

 

[Jayridge]

Don't ceriths get pretty large? And I will pick up two more of each of the snails I have in there already along with some shells

 

[okapizebra]

How old is your tank? If it's young there may not be a lot for the inverts to feed off of. I wouldn't add too many too early. Personally I love dwarf ceriths. They're so tiny and are great for nano tanks.

A CUC is not necessary really so you don't have to add anything else if you don't want to.

 

[Mebbid]

How old is your tank? If it's young there may not be a lot for the inverts to feed off of. I wouldn't add too many too early. Personally I love dwarf ceriths. They're so tiny and are great for nano tanks.

A CUC is not necessary really so you don't have to add anything else if you don't want to.

+1 you really should stock a cuc for the needs of your tank. They will usually end up starving and dying if you buy too many. I currently have about 6 snails and 4 hermit crabs in my 20g reef and that's plenty for me. The snails consist of cerith and asteas.

 

[Jayridge]

How old is your tank? If it's young there may not be a lot for the inverts to feed off of. I wouldn't add too many too early. Personally I love dwarf ceriths. They're so tiny and are great for nano tanks. A CUC is not necessary really so you don't have to add anything else if you don't want to.

The tank is only two weeks old so I am guessing my cuc is sufficient since there isn't heavy algae growth yet. Also I don't want to over load them and have them starve and die and need to start over.

 

[okapizebra]

Agreed. I made the mistake of adding too many inverts when I first started my tank.

Just take it slow and add more as you see fit.

 

[Spankege]

What if you have an overflow and one of those snails finds its way on the tube? lol that would be a flood!

 

[mr_X]

I wouldn't add anything else. The nassarius will need meaty foods to survive. Nothing cleans the glass better than a mag float. You will be killing snails on a regular basis via starvation adding more.
If you have heavy algae growth, you are doing something wrong. Feed reasonably and export nutrients via regular water changes and you'll not see any heavy algae, possibly none at all.

 

[Jayridge]

I am dropping in a few(5-7) small sinking pellets each morning. I see the Nassarius go for them immediately and even the emerald crab went for one today. Is that enough or should I be feeding them more?

 

[mr_X]

That's more than enough actually. 1 pellet is enough. I would feed it every few days.

 

[Jayridge]

Awesome thanks! Adding a Kenya tree frag today.

 

[Jayridge]

Added a couple frags tonight.