cleanup crew

[limige]

i've had some tanks in the past with hermits, everytime i got a frag they would pick on it and my zoas would close up and they created havoc. so i ditched them.

i now have a 125 6ft tank, with some fish and softies. i have a few emeralds and i have one coral banded shrimp and a few snails for cleanup. some clowns, a yellow tang and a angel.

so, i'm thinking i need more of a cleanup crew but i'm scared of hermits because of the past issues i've had. what would you guys recomend. i'm going to have plenty of zoas, palys, and softies with a number of fish. i'm feeding cyclopeze, mysis, and prime reef.

[rc02116]

Do you have sand bed? Try Nassarius Snails.

Also which Hermit crabs did you have before (red legs or blue legs), I would have a few Red legs hermit crabs, they should be completely reef-safe.

[limige]

i had red and blue legs...

yes i have a sand bed maybe 3 inches worth. not sure which snails are which i have a few with cone shaped shells that comb the walls some.

[sdtopgun]

hermits have never given me a problem. maybe put your corals higher up?

[Michael]

my hermits wont touch my corals they are fine with them, however they will and have killed my snails, if you have hermits then you will keep replacing snails

[divewsharks]

as mentioned hermits will kill/eat snails, but your corals should be fine. they will likely get walked on by the hermits, but thats about it.
2nd the nassarius suggestion.
ceriths, astrea, nassarius, strombus, trochus are all good options. i avoid turbo's as the get large and knock over anything in their path.

[Tylt33]

If you're gonna get hermits, get blue legged. They stay smaller and grow slower. And keep around three extra shells in your tank per crab, or they will be more inclined to be shell stealers. Mithrax crabs are generally peaceful when small, and then can get pinchy towards fish. Caution.

Coral banded shrimp are NOT reef safe just fyi. Get some nassarius snails to keep your sand stirred, and some ceriths to handle the rocks and glass. If you have bad algae, get some big turbos.

[divewsharks]

curious, why do you say a CBS is not reef safe?

[PhilTheEel]

I have a lot of zebra and they are fine with everything.

[laszlo805]

i thought that coral banded are reef safe

[limige]

my CBS has been fine, usually hides, hasn't bothered anything.

i really don't want hermits but i want to be sure i have a proper cleanup crew.

so i could get more snails, maybe some cleaner shrimp, peppermints ....

what would you guys suggest

[Stanley-Reefer]

hermits are fine. They do seek refuge in coral branches at night but mine diperse when the lights come on. No probs at all with them eating corals.

Usually they will converge on a coral if it is dying because they can smell it.

[aentrop]

get snails!

[beachbumva]

I use electric blue and halloween hermits, little more money but have never bothered a snail or a coral in any of my tanks past or present , they stay small and I keep extra shells in the tank that they do use. I also use mostly banded trochus snails,,also a few more pennies but for snails they are kinda neat to have,,spin like a top when on something good, move very fast and not bad to look at with a coraline covered striped shell reccomend one per 4 gallons to start , I use one queen conch for my 5-6 inch DSB and although it disappears under the sand for a week at a time my sand stays extremely clean . I wouldnt get more then one to start as they also move very fast and clean rapidly when they are on the move. It did go over a few polyps and an aussie duncan with no harm done but be aware of anything you have in the sand if chosing to purchase one, mine only climbs rock in order to het behind the rocks to the sand in other parts of the tank.

[fisherman2]

go with the snails they are the most passive and do the best job, also sand sifting stars do a good job too and if you have hair algae get two urchins or a slug and it will be devoured