Clean up crew for a 125 FOwLR?

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cmor1701d

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
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Location
Belle Mead, NJ
I've got the 125 with a DSB (5"-7") and 145 pounds of LR.
I got a 2 detrivore kits from 2 different on-line vendors. I have about 20 hermits (scarlet and blue leg) and some micro hermits, an assortment of snails (about 20 in total), two fighting conch and 1 serpent star.
I had two peppermint shrimp but have only seen 1 since the day after they went in and I don't see that one since I re-arranged the rock last week.

I had a bunch of small clear egg sacks on the front of the glass that i believe are/were either strombus or nassarious snail eggs. Now there are little white specs, some large enough to be identified as snails on the front and rear glass. I don't want to clean the algea off the glass as I would then be removing all these little critters too. Assuming that some of them will live to maturity...
How long might that be?
and if some of these snails are reproducing like that should I add to my clean up crew?

Would a cucumber eat all the pods?
Should I add some some peppermint shrimp/
Other types of shrimp?
Another serpent or other star?

I would like to get critters that eat the detritus and algea off the sand without disturbing the pod population. What are some good choices?

Along the same lines, I save a snail from a hermit crab attack yesterday. Some of the snails are gone due to the hermits. Should I keep the hermits to keep the snail population in check or transfer them somewhere else?
Will the hermits take care of themselves till I'm left with the King of the Hill Hermit?
What about the serpent star?

TIA,

Cmor
 
if i had to redo my kit i would add some cleaner shrimp because they clean you fish of infection. also add some emerald crabs. i had some but the disappeared. and LOTS of snails.
 
Emerald crabs? It seems to me that most people are shying away from crabs as they'll eat anything and everthing -- including fish if they can catch them. 8O
 
Would a cucumber eat all the pods?

No, wouldn't eat any.

Should I add some some peppermint shrimp/

If your having an aptaisia problem, or you like the looks of these shrimp, sure.

Another serpent or other star?

If your looking for usefullness, then yes you can add more brittle stars and serpent stars and some minibrittles stars. Just stay away from the Emerald green serpant star.

Should I keep the hermits to keep the snail population in check or transfer them somewhere else?

If you can accept the loss of the snails, you can keep them, but IMO, they won't keep the snails in check, they will deplete them.
 
i never had a problem with mine. honestly i thought they were awesome. they took care of my bubble algae and any other algae growing on the rock.
 
I think as far as your choice of cleaners goes, you should try to decide what types of fish you will have as some of your cleaners are on certain fishes appetizer lists.
 
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