Comments wanted on my invert stocking (list included).

[Hal1]

Hi all,

My tank just finished cycling. Its a 150 tall (48x24x30tall) with a 4-5 inch DSB and 150 lbs of LR, 100 gallon sump (about 1/2 full including the 30 gallon refuge section) and an EV-240 skimmer. Lighting is 2 250W MH (10K) and 2 110 VHO actinic.

I'm just about ready to get my clean up crew, but I'm also interested in keeping a lawnmower blenny. I want to make sure there will be enough for the blenny to eat and thrive. Two questions:

1. Will my future blenny have enough to eat with this crew?

2. Does this list sound like a good clean up crew?

misc. bristleworms (from IPSF 9 for 99)
misc. spaghetti worms (IPSF)
misc. micro-stars (from inland aquatics detrivore kit)
6 mini-stars (from inland kit)

Snails:
12 trochus
12 astrea
12 nassarius
12 cerith (baha)
12 turbo
12 margarita
12 strombus (part of 9 for 99)

6 microhermits (unless I can get IPSF to leave them out)

1 tigertail cuke
1 fighting conch
2 emerald crabs
1-6 brittle stars (?, inland kit comes with 6 mini brittle stars. Is this the same thing as a regular brittle star, but a baby?)

1 tuxedo urchin (to be added at a later time?)
3-4 peppermint shrimp (yeah, not really cleanup crew)
3-4 cleaner shrimp (yeah, not really cleanup crew).

TIA

 

[wade1]

Sounds like a grea tplan, but before loading up on all those snails, make certain you have enough food for them. If the tank isn't very algae laden to begin with, then you might have problems keeping them alive. The blenny isn't really an issue as they love to eat anything you toss in the tank generally. But, the blennies do like film type algaes and not filamentous/hairlike type.

Sounds like a good mix though. Just make sure you wait on fish as many will tear into the worms.

Wade

 

[jmanz]

Just curious

Why are more and more people staying away from Hermits?

 

[SPC]

12 margarita

-From what I have read, these do not fair well in our reefs due to them being from cooler waters.
Steve

 

[dgin]

I'd skip the Margarita and Astrea snails. Get only half of the Trochus (I prefer the Tiger variety), half the Turbos and maybe just one brittle star. Get all the tiny ones your are planning though. Too many snails with not enough food will just lead to starvation for them.

The microhermits will kill of some of the small snails. You can put some empty shells in the tank for them to use to minimize this. My micro hermits are now about double to triple their original size in about 3 months and now inhabit some small Turbo snail shells!