Cleanup Crew

[PrettyFishies]

What do you recommend as a cleanup crew for my 125 mixed reef?

I have:

About 20 red leg hermits
11 nassarius
3 turbos
10 Astraea
2 brittle stars

Thanks I'm advance!

 

[Greenturtle]

I would recommend some emerald crabs.

 

[DA fisherman]

What do you recommend as a cleanup crew for my 125 mixed reef?

I have:

About 20 red leg hermits
11 nassarius
3 turbos
10 Astraea
2 brittle stars

Thanks I'm advance!

You have a good start just not enough IMO.

20 red leg hermit crabs
5 blue leg hermit crabs
50 nassarius snails ( if those the ones that go in the sand)
10 Astraea snails( not much cause they also eat coral line algae)
My be two emerald crabs, cause they can flip out and eat zoas or small loose frags :-/
Remember this is what I would do lol, then after a while see if you need more or less.

 

[PrettyFishies]

So those numbers are I'm addition...

Sadly, my emeralds don't last.

Oh, I'm also about to purchase a diamond goby so maybe less nassarius?

 

[DA fisherman]

So those numbers are I'm addition...

Sadly, my emeralds don't last.

Oh, I'm also about to purchase a diamond goby so maybe less nassarius?

Doesn't matter, that goby doesn't eat decaying matter, snails DO, but the goby does help with turning over the sand and I think it's the bacteria in the sand that they eat some of.

 

[BallinCrew10]

Astrea snails don't eat coralline algae. I've recently added some and to compare them to my turbos, I'm not impressed, they're too slow lol. Emeralds make a great addition to your CUC and are fairly hardy, I even had a hitchhiker survive my cycle. I wonder why you have trouble with them? Nassarius snails are also good. I didn't add hermits because I didn't want them killing my snails for their shells but its up to you.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Astrea snails don't eat coralline algae. I've recently added some and to compare them to my turbos, I'm not impressed, they're too slow lol. Emeralds make a great addition to your CUC and are fairly hardy, I even had a hitchhiker survive my cycle. I wonder why you have trouble with them? Nassarius snails are also good. I didn't add hermits because I didn't want them killing my snails for their shells but its up to you.

I agree on the astrea. My turbos used to be efficient but not anymore for some reason but they leave green algae on th back glass that the tangs can graze.

I add shells for the hermits to avoid snail-a-cides. Can't say why my emeralds die but they seem to last only a few months. How long have you had yours?

 

[BallinCrew10]

Hmm..memory isn't my strong suit lol, but the hitchhiker lasted maybe a year? I've had some randomly kick the bucket and some live a long time. It could be any number of things. My last ones to die were a result of a power outage. Added 2 more and they're alive and well..I think, I never see them. They're tiny but it was all my LFS had in stock at the time. Every one I've added has started eating almost immediately, they're machines lol.

 

[KAhner]

What kinda salt do u use, and how often do u do pwcs? It's hard to say for sure. But if they last a few months then die consistently, I would consider an iodine deficency. If they can't molt then they probably won't survive. Maybe dose iodine.

 

[BallinCrew10]

If the salt lacks proper amounts of iodine I'd buy different salt lol

 

[KAhner]

Yea for sure. That's y I first asked about the salt and water changes. Dosing is a little extreme. But might be worth testing for to see if that might be a problem. Just a thought.

 

[BallinCrew10]

Definitely a good idea. Could very well be the issue.