Nano cuc help

[will0wtr33]

So my 10g nano is finally cycled.
I'd like to start adding a few inverts to get my clean up crew going, but I'm not quite sure what would be best.
I want a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp, and I'm debating on blue legged hermits or scarlet hermets. I would also like a snail or two, but I'm not sure which kind would be best. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Ludders]

I would go for the scarlet reef hermits, they are super peaceful and don't grow too large, also some standard turbo snails to start off with. How frequently do you visit your supplier?

 

[will0wtr33]

I would go for the scarlet reef hermits, they are super peaceful and don't grow too large, also some standard turbo snails to start off with. How frequently do you visit your supplier?

I have two marine specific lfs within 5 minutes of my place. I go once a week or so.

 

[Mikedawg]

In a small tank the SSC shrimp will aggressively compete with your fish for the food you feed and will "rob" your corals if you try to target feed them. They are colorful and intriguing, but as carnivores they present some problems IMHO.

 

[Katrina71]

I'd diversify your cuc. A couple of blue legs, a couple of red legs. Ninja star snails are awesome. I agree with Mikedawg, cleaner shrimp are too big. If you like a vivid one, go for a peppermint. I'd only get 2 snails to start with. Feed your cuc until you start adding fish.

 

[40B Knasty]

There is variables. Since your tank is new. You most likely do not have algae. So your snails would die of starvation. So you want to look for detritus eating snails like a few bumble bee snail. The smaller shrimp like sexy, camel, and peppermint shrimp would work well, but these I would highly suggest not to go get if the fish you plan to buy are known for eating ornamental shrimp. Skunk and scarlet shrimp are really nice. I would go with the scarlet over the two choices of bigger shrimp if you plan on getting a shrimp eating fish. I fed my scarlet on purpose. They love flaked food and will take it right from your fingers.

 

[Krzydmnd]

In a small tank the SSC shrimp will aggressively compete with your fish for the food you feed and will "rob" your corals if you try to target feed them. They are colorful and intriguing, but as carnivores they present some problems IMHO.

Yeah I have two skunk shrimp in my 32g tank and now at the six month mark the are huge! And they steal food right out of my lps corals mouths when I try to spot feed. I literally have to fend them off with a stick when I feed the corals, lol!

Very colorful and fun additions to the tank, but smaller options would likely be better for a 10g.

 

[Ludders]

I have two marine specific lfs within 5 minutes of my place. I go once a week or so.

The reason I asked this was because it's easy for you to go weekly, build your CUC slowly over time getting a couple of things each week.

I would recommend starting with 2 hermits, feeding them a slice off a frozen food cube (mysis cubes are good). Next week get a couple of snails etc and build slow.

 

[minus9]

I would agree that diversity is the key to a beneficial cuc. For nano reefs, I would stick to mostly snails with only a couple hermits (scarlets work best). Trochus are the best overall snail and they have the ability to right themselves when turned over, ceriths (larger Florida and dwarf) are great and move sand around (when they bury themselves), nassarius snails are great for left over food and detritus (they also move sand around when they bury themselves). Start slow and add what you need and go slow adding livestock.
In my 22g nano, I had a mix of all the things I mentioned, plus a couple turbos and a Tonga fighting conch and they did a great job of keeping things cleaned up, plus I had lots of bristle worms, mini stars and a few micro hermits. I would check out reef cleaners, great package deals with lots of diversity. Good luck and go slow.

 

[will0wtr33]

I'd diversify your cuc. A couple of blue legs, a couple of red legs. Ninja star snails are awesome. I agree with Mikedawg, cleaner shrimp are too big. If you like a vivid one, go for a peppermint. I'd only get 2 snails to start with. Feed your cuc until you start adding fish.

Now I know I can't always trust shop websites, but live aquaria lists the peppermint shrimp as a carnivore also, and says they both have a max size of 2 inches. How correct is this? I'm still very new, and I was told by my LFS that the SSC would be okay. I tend to trust you folks here a little more than other places.

 

[Katrina71]

I have friends that have them without any issue, and others that don't. I have a super tiny cleaner. A Pederson.

 

[Katrina71]

I also found our neon cleaner goby is a beast with his micro cleaning skills

 

[NS Mike D]

cleaner shrimp may be 2" but their antennae have a long reach and mine seems to know where every morsel is in the tank. it will engage in a power death match to open the duncan's grip to steal whatever mysis the duncan was able to trap. The plus is that i like that type of aggressive hunting and range to rid the tank of extra food and it is certainly interesting - whether hanging upside down on a rock or having the tank mates line up for a cleaning like a car wash after the winter melt. With it's antennae spread it takes up nearly 1/5 of my 29 gal.

IMO, doable in a 10 gal, but you should seriously think about having something that will dominate the tank and opt for more smaller critters. depends on what type of visual and kinetic balance you want in your tank.

 

[minus9]

I have an ORA neon goby and he is one of the best cleaners that I've ever had, more so than the cleaner shrimps I've had throughout this hobby. He's very active and very entertaining. After I first got him, he would clean my hand whenever it entered the tank, but that subsided over time. He also doesn't steal food from my corals when I feed them directly, something shrimps do all the time.

 

[will0wtr33]

I have an ORA neon goby and he is one of the best cleaners that I've ever had, more so than the cleaner shrimps I've had throughout this hobby. He's very active and very entertaining. After I first got him, he would clean my hand whenever it entered the tank, but that subsided over time. He also doesn't steal food from my corals when I feed them directly, something shrimps do all the time.

How large do those get?

 

[minus9]

They max out around 2" and mine is just under 2".