Thoughts on cuc

[mr_X]

Nassarius snails are carnivores, not omnivores. They will eat meaty foods only. If you have decaying meat on the sand bed, you are overfeeding. 25 nassarius snails will starve in a 90 gallon tank without supplemental feeding.
Every eating, pooping creature added to the tank adds to the bio load, period. when something is eaten, it does not disappear. It's still in the tank until you remove it with water changes and protein skimming.
If you have a 2" deep or less sand bed, you don't need to aerate it.
Hermits eat snails.

 

[SWSCJ]

I guess in the perfect tank world that would be true. But, for my 450 gallon tank with 3" sand bed they have extreme value and help deplete more bio load than they create. I've gotten a lot of great advice in this area from a couple of guys over at VIMS (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) when I was working on there facility. Pretty much what they do for a living.

 

[Antec]

do any members of the cuc need light? i wanted to know cuz im not getting my lights until this coming wednesday

 

[mr_X]

and help deplete more bio load than they create.

When nassarius snails eat, the expel waste also. What eats that? If they eat detritus, then they must eat their own poop. Maybe you can keep one indefinitely, by feeding it once a year. I doubt it though. It's impossible for a creature that consumes, to not expel waste. There is no way this can happen. There is also no way something living can reduce the carbon footprint of the environment, without dying. It's a ridiculous theory IMO.
As for people's professions, I've had I.T. professionals call me for advice....and I'm a truck driver
Question everything, my friend.

 

[Antec]

Ok so I'm about to place the order.

(2) blue leg hermits
(5) dwarf ceriths
(5) Florida ceriths
(2) nerite snails
(1) turbo
(1) chaeto ball
(2) peppermints for the aptasias I have
(1) cleaner shrimp

Thoughts?

Oh and again, do they need lights?

 

[Schism]

When nassarius snails eat, the expel waste also. What eats that? If they eat detritus, then they must eat their own poop. Maybe you can keep one indefinitely, by feeding it once a year. I doubt it though. It's impossible for a creature that consumes, to not expel waste. There is no way this can happen. There is also no way something living can reduce the carbon footprint of the environment, without dying. It's a ridiculous theory IMO.
As for people's professions, I've had I.T. professionals call me for advice....and I'm a truck driver
Question everything, my friend.

Yes they expel waste, but the waste they expel is less nutrient rich than before it was eaten. They each uneaten food, fish waste and dead organisms. They are scavengers and very good at what they do. They are easily sustainable, a great part of a cleaning crew and stir the sand.

One of the most beneficial members of any CuC on my opinion.

As for reducing the carbon footprint. Food is also part of the bioload, detritus is as well. Nassarius snails consume this and excrete it into a less nutrient rich form. The nutrients taken go to growth and energy.

Fact is ALL food does not get eaten detritus is always there. In no way do these snails create a larger carbon footprint, they are GREEN so to say.

They will easily be the last ones to ever die of starvation in any tank.

 

[reefrunner69]

Ok so I'm about to place the order.

(2) blue leg hermits
(5) dwarf ceriths
(5) Florida ceriths
(2) nerite snails
(1) turbo
(1) chaeto ball
(2) peppermints for the aptasias I have
(1) cleaner shrimp

Thoughts?

Oh and again, do they need lights?

Yes and no. They do not directly need light, but some of them eat algae, so if you have none in the tank they may require some supplemental feeding.

 

[Antec]

And what do you think of the size if the crew to start out with?

 

[Schism]

And what do you think of the size if the crew to start out with?

edit: misunderstood the question

 

[Antec]

Is the size good though schism?

 

[Schism]

Is the size good though schism?

You could easily use more than that. Thats probably the size i would recommend for a 20-30g for a light crew.

 

[Antec]

I was just going this light cuz people here told me too start adding them slowly

Oh and you think 1 nassarious would be fine?

 

[Schism]

I was just going this light cuz people here told me too start adding them slowly

Oh and you think 1 nassarious would be fine?

Thats fine if your adding slow, and a couple wont hurt. Add a pinch of food a week maybe until you get fish.

 

[Antec]

Alright thanks schism