cuc ideas for my 45 g FOWLER

[Criptix]

So I have research some more on my stock choices(3 Blue/Green Chromis,a purple Fire Fish and a Lawn Mower as part of the cuc made up of 7 Astrea Snails,4 Nassarius Snails,1 Emerald Crab OR 1 Sally Lightfoot Crab
8 Red Leg Hermit Crabs. I decided to scrub the Lawn Mower Blenny simply because of the nutrient factor and feared that it might bully or eat my Fire Fish because they are somewhat similar in shape. I really want to stick with the Purple Fire Fish and Blue/green Chromis. I thought maybe go with a fire fish pair and three chromis or a fire fish,three Chromis and one other fish. I have decided that I will not go with a dsb for now but want a cuc to start with. I just need a cuc that will maintain and keep tank healthy.What are your thoughts on shimp and brittle stars(I believe the stars need a dsb though, don't they?)?What would you recommend?Thanks!i am so excited to get this project started.
Just some added info:I have 80lbs of base rock(not sure if I will use it all yet) and 40lbs of Fiji Pink sand(will be getting at least 20lbs more).

 

[woody390]

Don't believe brittle stats need dsb. But also you don't need a cuc so just have what you think looks good. If you maintain tank well and don't over feed your cuc won't have much to eat so just get a couple of things you'll like

 

[mr_X]

A lawnmower blenny is not going to bother any other fish. What nutrient factor are you speaking of?
As for your cleanup crew, you don't need a cleanup crew at all. Everything you add to the tank has to have food available for it. Nassarius snails eat meaty foods. They do not eat fish crap or the soot-like detritus you see in tanks. You will have to add food to the tank just for them. If you have left over food on the sand bed you are definitely overfeeding, and your flow is not optimal.
Shrimp (I'm assuming you are referring to skunk cleaner shrimp) are nice to look at and are quite social, so if you intend to have shrimp, I would say 2 or 3 would be best.
Brittle stars also will need to be target fed meaty foods. I would stay away from the green ones, they are known fish eaters. I like the banded serpent stars best, though you won't see much of any of them unless you are feeding the tank.

 

[Criptix]

A lawnmower blenny is not going to bother any other fish. What nutrient factor are you speaking of?
.

I have read several posts on other sites,like this one,that say they are finicky eaters and won't touch supplemented food when algae is scarce. Of course,some of the info is a few years old,but each post up until recently said the same thing,"They eat everything,they don't eat everything and starve, they get cranky in there old age and on the positive side are really fun to watch.All this research is giving me a headache,lol.

 

[mr_X]

All the lawnmower blennies I have kept ate everything I put in the tank. That's all I can go by. If they are finicky eaters, I haven't seen it.
They seem to follow what the other fish are doing. if you have a few fish in the tank already taking prepared foods, then the blennie should as well. That said, they do get to 5".