Cleaning Crew Approval Needed :}

[Morrigan]

Here's what I've come up with so far for when my cycle is over and I have the algae and detritus to warrant a cleaning crew in my new 10 gal. This is just for starters, I really don't want to start off with to many critters cleaning and not enough stuff for them to clean, especially since I probably won't be adding in a fish for a while.

5-7 Blue Leg Hermits
1-2 Red Scarlet Hermits
5-7 Astrea Snails

I cannot decide on if any Margarita snails would be needed because of the Astreas, or if it would be best to just get Astreas and maybe more of them.
Also, I haven't really read much about them but are Bumble Bee snails good for a small tank, if so about how many?
Then, after a fish is added (not sure what it'll be yet, probably a clown of some sort) I will add a cleaning shrimp.
Which would be best and feasible in a 10 gal, a Cleaner Shrimp, a Fire Shrimp, or a Skunk Shrimp?
I was also thinking of either a Red Linckia star or a Red Sea Star, either way what would be my best bet as far as adding any stars to the tank.
Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[ryguy]

I would go with the low number of both hermits to start with and go with 3 astrea and 3 margarita snails.

Skunk and cleaner shrimp are the same thing, just different names. fire shrimp are cool, but you'll see much more of the cleaner shrimp.

I wouldn't add a star, especially a linckia for around 6 months. they need to be drip acclimated for a period of time.

 

[malkore]

agreed, go with the lower numbers, probably not so many astrea snails.

you could add a couple cerith snails too if they are easy to obtain in your area. they sift the sand well.

 

[tecwzrd]

Personally I wouldn’t attempt to add any type of star fish to a 10 gal tank due to their extreme sensitivity to ph/sg/temp changes. A 10 gal tank doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for error.

 

[WarEagleNR88]

Nassarius vibex are also great choices if you have substrate. And look into nerite snails as well--I've no experience with them, maybe someone else does. In a 10G, for a total scavenger/cleaning crew list I'd go with 7-8 nassarius, 3-4 astrea, 3-4 ceriths, and maybe 2 blue legs and 2 scarlet legs. You could also increase those amounts by 1s-2s as you see fit and even add a margarita (or 2) or a mexican turbo (or 2). But take note that these should be small changes. You may very well subtract 1s-2s (maybe more?) from those amounts depending on your level of care for your tank.

If I could do it over again I'd not get so many hermits and more small snails. LFS's are killer when it comes to stocking choices. Hermits could probably survive a nuclear war and they just irritate you to death crawling all over your polyps. Then if they run out of food, they look for the next edible thing--snails. So you need to give those few hermits you have plenty of food and you do that by not putting in so many. But they are bulletproof, do well at eating algae and any extra food that makes its way to the bottom and for that reason I recommend them. Blue legs and scarlet legs especially.

Here's a place I recommend for cleaners. http://www.aquaticisland.com Excellent prices and there's even a free cleaner package--you still have to pay for shipping, though. You will not find a better deal than that anywhere--unless shipping was free, too! Hope all of this helps!

 

[TheChad]

I can't give any input on how many of which type of crab/snail/shirmp to get as I do not know...

I can give you a little input on a the few shirmp/crabs I have to help you decide which to get...

I have 1 Fire Shirmp, 1 Skunk/Cleaner Shirmp, 1 Camel Shirmp, 1 Electric Blue Hermit Crab, 1 Electric Orange Hermit Crab, 1 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab, 1 Sally Lightfoot Crab, and 1 White Hermit crab (Not sure the type, but he is all white).

The Fire Shirmp is really cool, but does most of his roaming around at night. Durning the day Usually stays in his "Cleaning Station" as it is called. When feeding the tank, he goes nuts, and is really neat to watch.

The Skunk/Cleaner Shrimp is always moving around, but isn't real interesting, They are good parasite eaters though.

The Camel Shirmp is neat, they look cool and they move around alot. They are scavengers, so they are often picking food out of the rocks.

I probably wouldn't get the Fire shirmp in a 10g tank, just because I don't think he would be very happy, its a really small home, and fire shirmp get a decent size.


As for the crabs, the Sally Lightfoot is by FAR the best alge eater in the tank. She cleared an entire corner of a 30g tank of alge in a matter of 24 hours. But a 10g tank is far too small for a sally lightfoot.

I have only had the Electric Hermit Crabs for about 2 days, and thus far they seem to be getting around, I haven't notice any huge alge reductions where they have been scavenging, but They haven't been here too long. They are really neat to watch though.

The Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab, doesn't move around alot, It's by far the least interesting of all my Inverts.

The White Hermit Crab (Again not sure of exact name) Moves around the Most (Other than the Sally Lightfoot), and is a good Alge eater as well, It's a very curious Crab.


I know I didn't really answer your questions, but I hope I helped A little..

-TheChad

 

[ryguy]

I probably wouldn't get the Fire shirmp in a 10g tank, just because I don't think he would be very happy, its a really small home, and fire shirmp get a decent size.

Fire shrimp don't grow bigger than 1.5" to 2" inches. They aren't a big shrimp at all. 10G is fine.

 

[TheChad]

ryguy: Considering my Fire Shrimp is easily 4x the size of my cleaner shrimp and 2x the size of my Camel shrimp, I consider it to be a pretty big shirmp.

My Fire shrimp doesn't like the cleaner shirmp, he is always chasing the cleaner shrimp... That's in a 29g tank... God forbid you put both of them in a 10g tank where they couln't get away from each other....

-TheChad

 

[ryguy]

ryguy: Considering my Fire Shrimp is easily 4x the size of my cleaner shrimp and 2x the size of my Camel shrimp, I consider it to be a pretty big shirmp.

fire shrimp? AKA blood shrimp?

I'd love to see a pic if that's the case

 

[tecwzrd]

Could be his other shrimp are just really small. I haven't seen a fire/blood shrimp over 1.5"-2" either personally.