Clean Up Crew Help...

[ChiTownRomeo]

Hey everyone and early happy 4th of July!! I have a 46 gallon Bowfront and I have 40 pounds of Carib Sea Reef rock and 15 pounds of Figi live rock to seed it. 60 pounds of live sand by Ocean Direct. I have some Dr. Times one and only to also kick start the bacteria. I was wondering what should I use as a clean up crew. I know it shouldn't be much right now, so what should I start with? I LOVE crabs and shrimp. But kinda scared the crabs will make a feast of the fish and shrimp. Also can I have coral banded shrimp and cleaner shrimp in the same tank? One last thing I'm highly interested in xenia coral but I hear they are like weeds.

 

[crister13]

No clean up crew until the cycle is complete. You could get cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, emerald crabs, porcelain crabs, I wouldn't do the coral banded shrimp. Theyre known to kill fish sometimes. Xenia is actually very picky. Sometimes it will grow like a weed, sometimes it will die.

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

No clean up crew until the cycle is complete. You could get cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, emerald crabs, porcelain crabs, I wouldn't do the coral banded shrimp. Theyre known to kill fish sometimes. Xenia is actually very picky. Sometimes it will grow like a weed, sometimes it will die.

So the crabs wont beat up the shrimp? I'll buy just a small amount of Xenia just to see how it does.

 

[crister13]

Porcelain crabs are supposed to be very peaceful. Emerald crabs are mean sometimes. You should be fine but will never really see them.

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

So get some Porcelain crabs & Cleaner shrimp or peppermint Shrimp? What kind of snails and are star fish ok? And the crabs wont eat my xenia will it?

 

[crister13]

The crabs shouldn't eat your Xenia. You could get both shrimp. Good starfish are serpent stars and brittle stars other than the green brittle which is predatory. For snails, turbos wreck algae and nassarius sift sand and eat meaty foods.

 

[Mrc8858]

I've got a 46 too and my cuc consists of
1 emerald crab
1 ruby crab
10 blue legged hermits
5 scarlett hermits
1 white hermit
3 cleaner shrimp
4 turbo snails
15-20 nassarius snails
2 margarita snails
And all the life that springs up in your tank as it establishes. I haven't had any issues with any of them but I would not advise putting any shrimp with a coral banded shrimp which have been known to catch small fish even

 

[Newfiereefer]

I've got a 46 too and my cuc consists of
1 emerald crab
1 ruby crab
10 blue legged hermits
5 scarlett hermits
1 white hermit
3 cleaner shrimp
4 turbo snails
15-20 nassarius snails
2 margarita snails
And all the life that springs up in your tank as it establishes. I haven't had any issues with any of them but I would not advise putting any shrimp with a coral banded shrimp which have been known to catch small fish even

My CBS is a model citizen no issues what so ever , he once pinched my Clarkie clown cause he would not stop pestering my CBS