Clean up crew question

[Mano]

So, I've started up a tiny little 10 gallon mini reef, it is cycling currently and coming along nicely. I'm trying to plan ahead so I don't end up messing anything up along the way. =P

First and foremost, clean up crew will be coming along in a little over a week, but I have a question about the crabs. I plan on only getting little red legged or left-handed crabs, but I do plan on adding a Pistol Shrimp after I have the tank stabilized. I have 14.4 pounds of live rock and ~8.5 pounds of sand/crushed coral mix, giving me lots of crawling space and sand. (And I forgot to add, yes I did place all my live rock directly on the tank bottom and it's all very secure/sturdy)

I've been planning on adding 2 crabs as my clean up crew, but I am worried about possible overkill with the Pistol Shrimp. Should I only add one crab and let him do all the work until I add the shrimp, or am I over-worrying?

Secondly, looking at a shrimp goby to pair with my pistol. Anyone have any opinions on/experience with the following:
Diagonal Bar Prawn Goby
High Fin Red Banded Goby
Orange Spotted Goby

I'm pretty new so looking for something that's fairly hardy and might be a bit more forgiving if I make a minor blunder along the way. =P

I'm still a long way off from fish and shrimp, but like I said, I'd rather plan ahead. Thanks for any and all info!

 

[roka64]

I love the High Fin. I origionally was going to get one but my LFS had one of these:
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Reef Aquariums: Tangaroa Goby Shrimp Gobies
It is paired up with my pistol.
One word of warning on the pistol. Make sure your rock is placed firmly on the tank's base because the pistol will borrow under EVERYthing.
I would looks at a few nassarius snails, ceriths and margiritas. The nassis are really cool.
Keep in mind crabs can become crabby as they get larger.

 

[melosu58]

I like the nassarius snails that Scott was talking about but the CC mix might be too much for them. If it was my tank I would add some of these in a small tank like yours.

Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Aquariums: Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crab

 

[Mano]

Thank you both very much.

I made sure my rocks are very sturdy. I'm also looking at adding some extra sand into the bed. The bed's just under 2" and about a 50/50 mix of sand and CC. Think I'm going to try and tip the balance in the favor of the sand.

 

[roka64]

Just remember, the CC will end up on the top of the sand bed. I had the same mixture and decided to remove the CC...with fish in the tank.....You really may want to think about removing it now....

 

[Mano]

I had been told to add some CC to the mix to allow the shrimp some bits to use for his burrowing. But I am thinking of removing most of it.

 

[roka64]

I have all sand and my pistol loves it. I do have a little bit of CC left, but only the stuff I couldn't get out.

 

[Mano]

Massively attacked the tank today. XD Removed almost all of the CC, there's still a bit, maybe a half a pound at most, and added in another 10 pounds of a very nice, fine sand. I have a feeling my feather dusters are mad at me for the disturbance, and I'm a bit annoyed at the return of the sand cloud, but hopefully both will be back to normal by tomorrow.

Very very nice, deep sand bed now, with 2 kinds/grains of sand and litle tiny bits of crushed coral spread about.

Now I just have to figure out how many crabs I should get so as to not cause unneeded fights when I get my pistol shrimp.

 

[roka64]

Trust me the crabs will not bother the pistol in the least. Good idea on ditching the CC, I have about that much left in my tank.
Are you talking hermit crabs or other types of crabs?

 

[melosu58]

Good move on getting rid of the CC. Sand will be better and wont trap waste like CC will.

 

[Mano]

Little bitty hermits to act as my clean up crew. I'm avoiding even Turbo Snails as I don't want anything that gets large in my lil tank.

 

[roka64]

Since you got rid of most of the CC, look at the smaller nassiarius snails...I think you will be quite amazed by them.

 

[want2findnemo]

I use nassarius snails as well. They are great! Its cool when they come out of the sand with the antennas and then glide across the sand.