skae310
Aquarium Advice Freak
Hey i need some advice on a cleanup crew for a 14g biocube. I know nothing about them and this is my first saltwater tank. What should i get and how many?
clean up crew
- Thread starter skae310
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thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would stay away from hermits as they will kill snails for their shells eventually. Stay away from turbo snails as they are big and destructive. Try nassarius snails to help stir the sand and astrea snails for the algae and other stuff on the rock. Just what I would get. Maybe someone else will tell you how many.
interesting.. cause i have the 14 gallon bio cube as well and i currently have about 2 turbo snailz and 3 hermit crabs and they do fine together. i just make sure to keep empty shells in the tank so hermits can change shells....
also another thing to consider is maybe a cleaner or fire shrimp? i have the fire shrimp there normaly shy in the beginning but as they get used to the tank they begin to clean and come out from thier caves more often... they also make a great color addition to any tank..
good luck!!!
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skae310
Aquarium Advice Freak
ok i picked up 2 astrea and an nassarius. i never have seen the nassarius since i added him though. do they stay in the sand all the time?
thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yup, but they come up to feed.
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skae310
Aquarium Advice Freak
ok how often do they feed?
thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
Not sure but I'm sure some one that has experience with them can tell you. But, I think they feed once a day.
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skae310
Aquarium Advice Freak
ok well i just want to make sure hes not dead or something
I have 5 Nassarius Snails and they usually come up when i feed the fish Brine shrimp and are also more active when the lights go out. If you look closely at your substrate you should be able to see a small black cylinder coming out of the substrate(looks almost like a periscope), that would be him.
That is how I found him scared me since I didn't even think he was still alive since my tank went through a small cycle with it in there. I am still new to SW and doing a lot of research on the stuff that keeps showing up in my tank. Anything I can't figure out what it is, is now called "a sea booger" until I can figure out what it is.
lol
. I'm new to SW too and have had tons of help from the members, they are extremely knowledge and helpful.I have to remember the sea booger thing, my 5 year old will like it too.
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skae310
Aquarium Advice Freak
haha ok. well i dont see a black periscope looking thing anywhere... im scared he managed to get under the rocks somehow. when i put them in i made sure they were to the bottom. its just making me think maybe i didnt get them all the way and he managed to get under there. would he do that? or do they always keep there periscopes up out of the sand? ha i know this is alot of questions on one snail ha but im afraid if he dies and i dont find him it could mess up alot of things
I can't always find 5 sometimes 3 but they usually come out at feeding time and at night. You don't have to make sure they are on the bottom, they surely will find it all by themselves. I find them in the morning before the lights go on the rocks and walls of the tank. I do try to keep tabs on them as well for the same reason, my next problem is I have to add more LR and have to locate them before i move anything. I don't think they always keep the periscope thingy up or it just may be dead even with the substrate and you don't notice it. I do find they always come out when I feed the tank a whole cube of Spirulina Brine Shrimp or straight brine shrimp. If your testing your tank regularly you will know if one dies, your ammonia will rise and you will know where to start your search for the source.
Sharkbait430
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Dont worry about it too much. I do know the feeling and the anxiety about making sure everyone is alive and well. I check my tank in every possible crevice any time I get. I have one Nassarius though and it is NEVER under the substrate. He usually hangs out on the glass or the LR.
Yes, honestly there were times when i didnt see my nausauris for weeks! youll come home from work or school some day and **** be out. and youll be relieved just dont worry about it. Mine even even went on the glass sometimes =0
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