Clean up Crew?

[ZachariahBeanz]

Hi, so I’ve had my tank set up for a bit now, I have three fish, and my tank is 20 gallon AIO. I’m starting to look at a CUC, and this is what I have so far

2 trouchus snails/turbo snails
2 Nerite Snails
2 Ceriths
2 Nassarius snails
Maybe a shrimp or some sort?
I’ve heard too many crab horror stories to want any. But besides that, does this CUC seem good? I’d be happy for any recommendations

 

[TX_REEF]

it's a good start. I'd go with trochus over turbo, they're more active, don't grow as big, and can breed in our tanks. I'd also add more nassarius and cerith/dwarf cerith for sand stirring. If you plan on corals, best to avoid shrimp and crabs altogether, as many crabs will eat LPS and shrimp will rob food from corals if/when you feed them. I have 2 cleaner shrimp and I have to target feed them before I feed my corals...

 

[Gumbies R Us]

We have a trochus in our tank; they do an amazing job eating algae.

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

it's a good start. I'd go with trochus over turbo, they're more active, don't grow as big, and can breed in our tanks. I'd also add more nassarius and cerith/dwarf cerith for sand stirring. If you plan on corals, best to avoid shrimp and crabs altogether, as many crabs will eat LPS and shrimp will rob food from corals if/when you feed them. I have 2 cleaner shrimp and I have to target feed them before I feed my corals...

it's a good start. I'd go with trochus over turbo, they're more active, don't grow as big, and can breed in our tanks. I'd also add more nassarius and cerith/dwarf cerith for sand stirring. If you plan on corals, best to avoid shrimp and crabs altogether, as many crabs will eat LPS and shrimp will rob food from corals if/when you feed them. I have 2 cleaner shrimp and I have to target feed them before I feed my corals...

We have a trochus in our tank; they do an amazing job eating algae.

Thanks, I was thinking trochus over the turbo just from other forums. Also, what would the dwarf ceriths do differently then the normal? Would they just be able to get into smaller spots?

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

it's a good start. I'd go with trochus over turbo, they're more active, don't grow as big, and can breed in our tanks. I'd also add more nassarius and cerith/dwarf cerith for sand stirring. If you plan on corals, best to avoid shrimp and crabs altogether, as many crabs will eat LPS and shrimp will rob food from corals if/when you feed them. I have 2 cleaner shrimp and I have to target feed them before I feed my corals...

it's a good start. I'd go with trochus over turbo, they're more active, don't grow as big, and can breed in our tanks. I'd also add more nassarius and cerith/dwarf cerith for sand stirring. If you plan on corals, best to avoid shrimp and crabs altogether, as many crabs will eat LPS and shrimp will rob food from corals if/when you feed them. I have 2 cleaner shrimp and I have to target feed them before I feed my corals...

We have a trochus in our tank; they do an amazing job eating algae.

Thanks, I was thinking trochus over the turbo just from other forums. Also, what would the dwarf ceriths do differently then the normal? Would they just be able to get into smaller spots?

 

[TX_REEF]

Thanks, I was thinking trochus over the turbo just from other forums. Also, what would the dwarf ceriths do differently then the normal? Would they just be able to get into smaller spots?

yes, they get into smaller spots and they spend more time under the sand which should help turn over the sandbed.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Hi, so I’ve had my tank set up for a bit now, I have three fish, and my tank is 20 gallon AIO. I’m starting to look at a CUC, and this is what I have so far

2 trouchus snails/turbo snails
2 Nerite Snails
2 Ceriths
2 Nassarius snails
Maybe a shrimp or some sort?
I’ve heard too many crab horror stories to want any. But besides that, does this CUC seem good? I’d be happy for any recommendations

I suppose it's determined by how much you need the crew to clean up

Me, I wouldn't even place an order until I got to the free shipping option

My RS Reefer Nano is 20 gallons.

For which I would put at least
10 hermits
10 astrea
10 trochas
10 ceriths
2 turbos
And a bunch of the little black .20 snails

I expect a slowdown, or even die off, at about the 1 month mark. And may need another order to top it off. Depending on the uglies I have in the tank

I just came home this morning and came in, and smelled faint cooked octopus. Wasn't octopus. One of my turbos decided to make a run for it, DOA on the floor. Happens

He is residing in turbo snail heaven now

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

I suppose it's determined by how much you need the crew to clean up

Me, I wouldn't even place an order until I got to the free shipping option

My RS Reefer Nano is 20 gallons.

For which I would put at least
10 hermits
10 astrea
10 trochas
10 ceriths
2 turbos
And a bunch of the little black .20 snails

I expect a slowdown, or even die off, at about the 1 month mark. And may need another order to top it off. Depending on the uglies I have in the tank

I just came home this morning and came in, and smelled faint cooked octopus. Wasn't octopus. One of my turbos decided to make a run for it, DOA on the floor. Happens

He is residing in turbo snail heaven now

Wouldn’t the slow kill off of the CUC cause a spike in all the ugly parameters?

 

[Solo McReefer]

Wouldn’t the slow kill off of the CUC cause a spike in all the ugly parameters?

Becoming "part of the cycle" of life, of the tank, is how I see it

The point I was making, is that there is attrition with a CUC that needs to be accounted for when placing one's order

Not all of the snails die in the tank, many die behind the tank

Hermits kill each other off fighting over shells, rather regularly. Even when there are similar empty shells available. Life feeds on life, this is necessary

For all I know, one's tank is pristine. One may have very few animals, and feed very lightly. With your shopping list being totally satisfactory for it. I don't know what your tank looks like

I was talking about if I had a new 20 gallon. What I listed would be the minimum I would get on my first order. And I would expect to get it again in a month or 45 days later, because of the attrition(it's not like I have any power in stopping that)

 

[kevgib67]

I think that is a good start but when the uglies take off you’ll need to add more and may some different ones that target the specific algae you are dealing with at that moment. You don’t want to add to many to soon as they will starve.

 

[Uncle99]

Hi, so I’ve had my tank set up for a bit now, I have three fish, and my tank is 20 gallon AIO. I’m starting to look at a CUC, and this is what I have so far

2 trouchus snails/turbo snails
2 Nerite Snails
2 Ceriths
2 Nassarius snails
Maybe a shrimp or some sort?
I’ve heard too many crab horror stories to want any. But besides that, does this CUC seem good? I’d be happy for any recommendations

Perfect.
I banned every crab 6 years ago now.
Best 1 thing I’ve ever done for my display.
Mysterious deaths ceased.

 

[TX_REEF]

Perfect.
I banned every crab 6 years ago now.
Best 1 thing I’ve ever done for my display.
Mysterious deaths ceased.

I agree... but I still have some pithos crabs that have been well behaved since january...

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

I think that is a good start but when the uglies take off you’ll need to add more and may some different ones that target the specific algae you are dealing with at that moment. You don’t want to add to many to soon as they will starve.

Once the uglies start to take over, what other CUC members would you recommend?

 

[kevgib67]

Once the uglies start to take over, what other CUC members would you recommend?

When hair algae rears it’s ugly head, a tuxedo urchin and some turbo snais. If bubble algae shows up, pitho or emerald crabs. A tiger conch will clean up your algae on the sand. Conchs eat algae and nassarius are scavengers eating leftover fish food and any any inhabitant that passes away. I have both and they keep your sandbed sparkling clean.

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

When hair algae rears it’s ugly head, a tuxedo urchin and some turbo snais. If bubble algae shows up, pitho or emerald crabs. A tiger conch will clean up your algae on the sand. Conchs eat algae and nassarius are scavengers eating leftover fish food and any any inhabitant that passes away. I have both and they keep your sandbed sparkling clean.

What’s the minimum tank size for some of the conches? I’ve never really looked into them.

 

[kevgib67]

What’s the minimum tank size for some of the conches? I’ve never really looked into them.

20 gallons. Hi!

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

20 gallons. Hi!

What type would you recommend? I’ve done quick research and found strawberries, and tigers would be good?

 

[kevgib67]

What type would you recommend? I’ve done quick research and found strawberries, and tigers would be good?

I’ve only had tigers, work horses. Strawberries are probably just as good.