Questions about setting up a CUC quarantine tank

[ngiovas]

currently have a 10 gallon tank setup as a quarantine tank for my fish, but I decided to set up another quarantine tank for inverts/CUC. I'm using a spare 20L tank with a hang on back filter and a foam filter connected to an air pump. I also have the appropriate heater for the tank. I have a couple of things I am not clear on:

1. Is a glass bottom/no sand ok for invertebrates, or do they require some form of sand?
2. Do I need any other type of hiding places, PVC, etc. or is the empty tank ok?
3. I have never had snails or crabs before. Will they crawl out of the tank if it isn't covered, or do they stay in the water?
4. Do I need to fully cycle the tank before putting them in, or just do frequent water changes?
5. I plan to feed them nori. Do I need to feed them anything else?
6. How often and how much do I feed them since there is no algae in the tank?

Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to make sure I get everything set up correctly.

thanks in advance.

 

[Doctorgori]

currently have a 10 gallon tank setup as a quarantine tank for my fish, but I decided to set up another quarantine tank for inverts/CUC. I'm using a spare 20L tank with a hang on back filter and a foam filter connected to an air pump. I also have the appropriate heater for the tank. I have a couple of things I am not clear on:

1. Is a glass bottom/no sand ok for invertebrates, or do they require some form of sand?
2. Do I need any other type of hiding places, PVC, etc. or is the empty tank ok?
3. I have never had snails or crabs before. Will they crawl out of the tank if it isn't covered, or do they stay in the water?
4. Do I need to fully cycle the tank before putting them in, or just do frequent water changes?
5. I plan to feed them nori. Do I need to feed them anything else?
6. How often and how much do I feed them since there is no algae in the tank?

Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to make sure I get everything set up correctly.

thanks in advance.

1) sand for sure if it’s sea cucumbers, narcissus snails, babylon snails or any conch
2) empty is OK, TBH I don’t really worry about CUC stress or their mental well being
3) No but nerite snails might
4) actually either if the bio load is light enough but way less risk with cycled biomedia…I keep a few mesh zip bags with biospheres or whatever preloaded in my sumps for just that reason (in case I need a quick setup)
5)I’ve see a few Turbo snails go for nori sheets but not every type eats it
6) they should be fine for several days. I would throw in pellets if you have hermits or narcissus snails

Added: Ive never found any good reason to qt inverts unless prehoused with fish

 

[Cali Reef Life]

I put a 2 or 3 pound rock in my qt and just 2 power heads and heater use it to qt coral and inverts. No sand added for me since inverts can survive without it for 6 weeks. Wouldn't see why sand would be a problem though. Youll want a cheap light on it which will grow alage which is free food.

Reason to qt them is alage and ich or other fish pathogens.

 

[Doctorgori]

Reason to qt them is alage and ich or other fish pathogens.

agreed, but supposedly a few major CUC vendors don’t house their inverts with fish, so in theory they shouldn’t be secondary host to fish diseases…but I won’t argue risk tolerance….carry on

 

[ngiovas]

OK, I'm back with more questions. I set up my 20L CUC quarantine tank. I put about 1.5 inches of sand on the bottom for the snails to dig into. I have a foam filter and a HOB filter. The tank was cycled with Fritz Turbo 900 and some ammonia drops.

I picked up a few Nassarius snails and a few trocus snails along with a peppermint shrimp. I wasn't sure exactly what each of them would eat, so I cut up a sheet of nori into small strips and hung a couple of them on the side of the tank. I also threw in a couple algae wafers and algae pellets. Finally, I put in a cube of frozen Mysus shrimp and some flake food.

I have no idea if anyone is eating anything. They have moved around some, but after a few days, one of the larger snails was laying on his back at the bottom of the tank. I'm not sure if it was something I dd that killed him. I'm not sure if the other snails are eating or no longer alive - most of them are hiding in the sand. The shrimp swims around the tank rapidly every once in a while.

I'm looking for some suggestions here. Hopefully, everything is fine, but this seems more complicated than watching fish and knowing they are fine .

 

[Cali Reef Life]

My large snails flip weekly in my main i am constantly flipping them. Also seems like added way to much food. I feed once then the snails poop the others eat alage grows the snails eat it. I would do a small water change and leave it alone if you need to throw flakes in once or twice a week.

 

[stewy14]

im sorry, but what is the point of a cuc qt? just curiuos

 

[GARRIGA]

I’d grow some algae and just keep it trimmed for the grazer. Frozen food can keep the nassarius happy. Last one wants is starving the kids

My thing with any CUC is sourcing and how long kept isolated from fish after capture as well any new additions. Looking for a vendor that keeps their CUC isolated for minimum 70 plus days. Not that they throw them in a system for an extended period and call it a day. Contamination too easy and I find it hard to believe sellers of CUC crew keep individual system as to ensure isolation from pathogens shedding off others and especially new.

Not like these are likely bred and one can search YouTube on how they are gathered weekly here in the keys. Something I plan on doing and providing my own isolation chamber. Not like they take up much room. Simple 20g with undergravel filter and some coarse enough gravel lit to promote algae for those that were obtained to remove that from main. Anything requiring actual sand can be placed in separate containers within this tank.

 

[ngiovas]

My large snails flip weekly in my main i am constantly flipping them. Also seems like added way to much food. I feed once then the snails poop the others eat alage grows the snails eat it. I would do a small water change and leave it alone if you need to throw flakes in once or twice a week.

I'm thinking you are right - I think I way over fed them. I was paranoid about them not having anything to eat.

I may have some other issues too because I went down and checked the tank to take a closer look after I made the last post and I think there are multiple dead snails now. I also can't find the shrimp anywhere. He used to burrow under the foam filter or dart around the tank, but I can't find him. My water parameters all seemed to be stable including temp and ammonia. Not sure what else to check. How much do snails move around? When I put them in, they were all active looking for a place to hang out, but now they aren't moving even if I pick them up. I'm not sure if I nuked the tank somehow.