Clean up crew for 180g ??

[saintperez]

Just about ready to fill my new tank up with my measly 100 Lbs. of Liv Rock. Wanted to know what is recommended for this size tank as far as species and qty. are concerned.

THanks for any help,
Santiago Perez

 

[Got Water?]

I started up my 150gal about 3months ago. I first added 20 snails, 12 hermit crabs, and 2 sandsifting starfish. I now have add 7 pepperment shimp and 2 emerald crabs. I do have a few fish and some coral. But I have a great sanitation department so far.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

also think about a cleaner shrimp and maybe a pincussion urchin. if u get hermits be sure to put extra shells in there because i just had my 2nd snail fatality due to this. yeah.

 

[melosu58]

If this being a new tank then you really wont need a whole clean up crew due to the fact that you really dont have alot of waste in there. I would start small and add as the tank matures. Read our article on cycling your tank before you start.

 

[roka64]

Got Water, you may want to take the stars back. A newer tank probably won't have enough food for them and can quickly starve.

 

[saintperez]

That's what I was thinking with the stars. Unless I get an Algae bloom. Do stars eat algae? I'm guessing so. WHat I really need is a good online fish and invertibrate reference with pictures. Does anyone kno of such a thing?

 

[ryshark]

Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums

 

[Got Water?]

About, my sand sifting starfish. I put them in only after the tank had started building up alge and junk on top of the sand bed. I had heard that they could starve and was conserned that would happen. It was a new tank, and I'm new at this and I didn't want to start out killing things. I was told that with sandsifters if they start crawling the walls alot more than normal they are hungry and looking for food, (sandsifting stars don't climb walls very much at all). They have done this one time, about a month ago. So, I didn't clean the tank for a day or two and they went right back down in the sand. I now leave things down close to the sand bed a little dirty, and they now seem to be busy, happy and keeping the bed beautiful.
I do think I might have to take them out sometime, I'm wanting to have some jawfish and I have been told that they might not co-habitate well. I really like the starfish but don't want to have a gang fight on the sandbed.