adding cleaners - ?how many?

[kdwal]

I'll be going to the LFS today to buy the 1st of my cleaning crew.
Have new 30g - no inhabitants as yet.
My question; how many of what should I start out with. Everyone says start slow, but what is a safe number to start with that is not going to throw things out of balance. Should I get a mixture of shrimp, crab & snail today or just start with one kind.
I want a FOWLR.

Thanks,
Kathy

 

[Ray Pollett]

I would Get a mixture of all three types. Usual rule is total of 1 per gallon, but you can start slower and see how they are. If you need more buy them later. Remember to feed them.

Ray

 

[kdwal]

I have read the "1-per gallon" rule before, but I guess my question is, 1-per gallon using a mixture of all three, so that I have a totoal of, say, 30 total. There isn't one kind I should go heavier with or are they all about equal at this point???
Thanks for the clarification on the "rule".
Kathy

 

[Ray Pollett]

I have read the "1-per gallon" rule before, but I guess my question is, 1-per gallon using a mixture of all three, so that I have a totoal of, say, 30 total. There isn't one kind I should go heavier with or are they all about equal at this point???
Thanks for the clarification on the "rule".
Kathy

You are correct, that is 30 total combined.

Hard to say, it depends on what you like and what you are trying to controll.

I would IMO get:
1 - sally lightfoot crab - Get to watch
3 or 4 hermits
1 - emerald crab
5 nassarius Snails
5 Cerith snails
5 asteria snails
1 Conch
3 turbo snails

That should be a good start.

You could also get one of the clean up crew packages sold on line and maybe save some money.

Ray

 

[kdwal]

Thanks Ray.........
I was trying to make a shopping list, you made it much easier for me since you know all about these little critters.
I am sure at some point in time I will be able to make decisions like that on my own, but right now I feel unsure and afraid I will screw up. Thank you, THANK YOU, T h a n k y o u ..........,

Kathy

 

[kylem]

I have the same question except that I have 120gal tank. Having 120 criters in the tank seems excessive don't you think?

 

[MzWeazelle]

Kylem - I think it depends a lot on what else you have in the tank. I have a 140 with about 2" sand bed, so I want the sand kept clean. I have a Dragon Gobie that is a really good sand-sifter, and also a sand sifting star fish, so I personally go real light on the sand snails. Currently I have about a dozen other snails and about a dozen hermits. I'm sure I could have more, but seem to be doing fine for now. Tank is just a little over a year old.

JanMarie

 

[Abissus]

A word about Sally Light Foot, I got one and it was pretty aggressive towards my fish. Any fish that swim close get pounced on, so I took it back to the LFS the very next day. Seems like the fish store was not surprised when I said the crab was aggressive.

 

[Witfull]

definately true on the sally. personally i would say 2 turbos and the variety of other snails...."Snails Are Good!"

 

[mattseattle]

weird - my sally lightfoot is not aggressive at all unless it's a piece of shrimp floating down to feed an anemone. i learned not to do that. but my sally lightfoot crab doesn't bother my fish or anything. just get a really small one if you get one.

 

[kdwal]

O.K., I'm happy for the moment,
I went shopping and here is what I was able to get today:

1-Tequila Snail
3-Astrea Snails
4-Turbo Snails
1-Emeral Crab
1-EEL Cleaner Shrimp (expensive little bugger)
1-Queen Conch
1-Elec.Blue Hermit

LFS was out of Sally Lightfoot, Cerith, Nassarius.

Also Picked up a new, 30" Formosa-DX compact fluorescent fixture. Includes 1-65W Blue Actinic & 1-65W Daylight, Ballast, Independent power cords, cooling fan, fliptop leg stands, acrylic lens, aluminum shell, mirror reflector.

I am hoping this was a good purchase, the LFS guy said it should do the job for my 30g tank.

Thanks for the input, and keep it coming. I am always ready & open to suggestions.

Kathy

 

[Witfull]

if you have a sandbed, definately get the nass snails.

 

[kdwal]

I plan to, ran out of time today, have another LFS I am going to visit tomorrow, see what they have in stock. Is there anything else that I am missing that is a "must have"?

Kathy

 

[Ray Pollett]

I have to totally disagree on sallylightfoot crabs being aggressive. They make the pretense, but can not do any real damage. I have them in all my customer tanks. They have become the favorite animal by the kids because of their behavior.

For a 30 gallon that light will let you keep most softies and a few stonies, like a bubble coral.

I do not know of a tequilla snail did you mean a margirita snail. If so it is a cool water snail that usually dies in our warm water tanks in a few days to weeks.

Looks like a good mixture so far.

Ray

 

[Alice]

The Queen Conch's can get pretty large, if they live that long, so down the road you may be looking to trade it in....or upgrade to a bigger tank. Conchs need a lot of algae and it takes a fair amount of sand surface to feed them. I would suggest that you occasionally put a small piece of Nori (seaweed sheets) on the bottom of the tank for the conch to feed on.

 

[kdwal]

LFS definitely had it named Tequilla Turbo Snail, Shell is multicolored, has thin silver bands all the way around, and comes to a point on the top of the shell rather than the side that the other Turbos have.
The Queen Conch measures approx 1-1/2" from tip to tip, so hopefully I have some time before she outgrows the tank, heck, by then, I may be ready to move to larger tank myself. I'll be sure to feed her the Nori, thanks for the advise.
checked on everyone this morning and all looks well so far, now I need to assembly this light fixturure.
.....and away we go.....I guess I am officially started!!
Thanks,
Kathy

 

[Abissus]

I was a little surprised at my Sally Light Foot's behavior, and decided I don't want the chance of the crab injuring my fishes and might lead to infection.

I think my favorite cleaners is my cleaner shrimp and my brittle star. Snails just don't have much personality like my shrimp The star was great fun until my coral beauty came and nips on it whenever possible, so now i never see it anymore