Tell me about your cleaner crew

[Anonymous]

On another reef board I am in discussions about cleaner crew size. I am in the minorty that a small cleaner crew is all that is required. My reasons for a small clean up crew are:

In a properly maintained reef tank the levels of nuitrants that fuel nuisiance algea will be minimal and the nuisance algae will also be minimal.

Why add any animals to your tank knowing you are going to get 1/3 or better die off.

Algae in and of itself is not a problem, but the results of a problem. Deal with the problem and the algea will go away.

Others are suggesting 1-2 snails per gallon. That just seams redicoulos. I got a dozen snails and 2 hermit crabs in my tank and almost no nuisance algea.

 

[Anonymous]

I have 5 Turbo snails
6-10 Hermit crabs
a brittle star and serpent star.


I venture to say that I do not have an algae problem. (BTW 90gal tank very low fish load)

 

[Anonymous]

I have about 30 snails and 3 cleaner shrimp
I don't think I need anything else

 

[Brian5000]

75 Gallon aquarium:
6 assorted snails
6-7 hermit crabs
1 fighting conch

Algea isn't really a problem here either though I may be considering another conch for more sand sifting.

A little book I've been using a lot is "A PocketExpert (TM) Guide: Marine Invertebrates" by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. It agrees that 1-2 per gallon is ridiculous and leads to death by starvation. It suggests more like 1 per ten gallons as a general rule (same for hermits). It says an astrea under appropriate care can actually live a few decades.

Whenever I've had an algea problem, it's been slime or turf or something that they won't/can't eat anyway. I'm not sure that snails do a whole lot for aquarium maintanence (or at least not as much as this hobby suggests). I agree that it's about water quality.
_________________
Honda CR250R

 

[Anonymous]

The recommendations of huge numbers of clean up critters is a hold over from people selling clean up critters. Pretty quickly people realized the huge die off was silly and unnecessary, but the myth persists because people want a quick fix on new tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

The recommendations of huge numbers of clean up critters is a hold over from people selling clean up critters. Pretty quickly people realized the huge die off was silly and unnecessary, but the myth persists because people want a quick fix on new tanks.

That is the point I am trying to make, but being shot down. Through my experience you will get to a ballance between sustainable population and algae control. You will notice that point if you just let things die off. At a certian point things quit dieing.

 

[Len]

For my 176 gallon, I have a small population of cleaner crew:
2x Cleaner Shrimps
2x Fire Shrimps. I got them for their looks.
1x Peppermint. Killed all my Aiptasias.
6-8 Trochus snails. I started with about 30, but the population settled at about 10.
3 Tongan Turbo snails. I started with about 10.
2 Tongan Fighting Conches. I had three, but one died after 2 years.
2 Mithrax crabss.

 

[Anonymous]

The recommendations of huge numbers of clean up critters is a hold over from people selling clean up critters. Pretty quickly people realized the huge die off was silly and unnecessary, but the myth persists because people want a quick fix on new tanks.

That is the point I am trying to make, but being shot down. Through my experience you will get to a ballance between sustainable population and algae control. You will notice that point if you just let things die off. At a certian point things quit dieing.

How are they shooting you down? How are they countering the idea that there is 25% to 90% deaths of cleaners in the first few months after they are added? How are they supporting their position?

 

[Anonymous]

I basically have a few people agreeing that they need massive amouts of critters with out any good reason. One guy stated that of the 153 inital snails this other guy was going to order he should expect to have about 100 left. I asked him how he felt about adding critter to a tank knowing that he was going to loose 1/3 off the back. The responce to that was I didn't say he was going to loose 1/3. That's like buying 90 corals expecting only 60 to make it. Accepting those kinds of losses is unacceptable IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree
I haven't lost a single snail since I set up my tank (except for a couple of strombus snails that crawled into one of the vortechs).
I find it strange that many people consider snail deaths an inevitable part of reefkeeping.

 

[TheJGMProject]

That's like buying 90 corals expecting only 60 to make it. Accepting those kinds of losses is unacceptable IMO.

I couldn't agree with you more man...

My 40 gal tank
2 turbo snails
6 small hermit crabs
1 fire (clown) shrimp
1 harlequin - which eraticated my asterina population

 

[jay24k]

I only add to my cleaner crew once every 18 months. Generally, snails will die from being flipped over or just not lasting awhile. I add about 50 astreas and 20 of another variety to my 180 gallon. I also add about 10 hermit crabs at the most since they kill the snails. I try to stick with the red ones. That's all I really add and my tank does just fine. I think it depends on how big your tank is and what you have in it. I don't consider cleaner shrimp a cleanup crew.

 

[bleedingthought]

Well, I believe in small cleaner crews but I believe that there is a number that is too low. Start small and if you feel you need more to take care of a little bit more algae, add a couple more.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I believe in small cleaner crews but I believe that there is a number that is too low. Start small and if you feel you need more to take care of a little bit more algae, add a couple more.

I agree with that.

 

[mr_X]

i don't think i lost any snails...except to my hermits.
i have a few nassarius snails because i like how they come out of the sand bed for dinner , and 5 margarita snails, and 2 turbos, and 3 astrea.
i have a tigertail cucumber, because i thought he was neat, and could stir up the substrate alittle...very little :?
i just purchased 5 tiny hermits for hair algae.
i don't count cleaner shrimp as part of my "cleanup crew". i purchased them for the same reason i purchased fish- for my own amusement.

 

[Anonymous]

The primary reason I have shrimp is to pull chunks of food out from underneath the rockwork where fish can't reach it. They work better for this purpose (IMO) than crabs or brittle stars. But, if you consider a "clean up crew" to be strictly algae control, then I agree that they aren't part of that.

 

[mr_X]

i have 300 bristle worms for that purpose

 

[Anonymous]

They work well too

 

[bleedingthought]

As far as losing snails go, I have lost EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MINE. (Well, with the exception of the conchs)

Needless to say, I will not have ANY hermit crabs in the new tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, do you think your crabs are killing all of your snails or do you think there is something else going on?