Clean up crew

[ATP123]

Hi,

I just started a new reef tank (38 gallons) and I saw in a book it says I need 10 snails and 4 hermit crabs for 20 gallons and does that mean i need 20 snails and 8 crabs in my tank? If so, that means my 125 gallons reef that i got from a friend will need A LOT MORE snails/crabs than what it has now.

 

[Chichas01]

Hi,

I just started a new reef tank (38 gallons) and I saw in a book it says I need 10 snails and 4 hermit crabs for 20 gallons and does that mean i need 20 snails and 8 crabs in my tank? If so, that means my 125 gallons reef that i got from a friend will need A LOT MORE snails/crabs than what it has now.

Probably not. I would think no more than 10 snails if even that. Get too many and they eventually will starve. I would start with less and see what happens after a couple months. You can always add more later. You also want a variety. Some snails for the glass and rock and others to stir the sand bed Barrier is close by you and you can get a great 'custom' clean up crew package for fairly cheap.

 

[Mopar Reefer]

I agree with the notion of go small and build from there in reference to a CUC. Diversity plays a key part as well, just research the snails, crabs, shrimp that you want first before making an impulse buy. You dont want to waste money on crabs then see them canabilize in a very short time due to terriorital wars. IMO you can get awesome CUC's on line. I just purchsed 100 Nassirius snails online at www.reefs2go.com for under 30.00, you cant find deals like that at a LFS. You pay shipping but in the end it is still much cheaper. Good luck on what ever inverts you decide on.

 

[burning2nd]

yA I say not..

figure for a 125? eh. 5-7 hermits (red scarlets)

30 ceriths
15 toruchus
10 astrea
1 bummble bee
2 peppermint shrimp,

i would start with the snails maybe half of that list... then the other half a week or 2 later,
then a few weeks and the hermits... you dont want to over stock and then die off.

 

[desertrose]

i have about 200 narsius snails and about 10 hermits ill sell ya,and i can ship too,will also add some chaeto that has tonds of pods from my pod tank,if your interested ill sell you 30 nars snails and the 10 hermits as well as the pods and cheato for 50.00 and 13.95 for shipping,this is alot cheaper then some places i know of

 

[ATP123]

wow. i need a lot more snails for my bigger tank lol. I just got 5 snails and 5 scarlet hermits for my new tank as a start

thanks for the suggestions

 

[ATP123]

I just bought 10 hermit crabs for my 125 and i notice that my blenny grabbed one of them and dragged it into the rocks

 

[NC2WA]

fwiw, I have a 375g tank and only have 20 turbo snails and 30 astrea snails.

to view my pics of my tank, click the link under my signature.