clean up crew recommendations

hello all you 3reefers,

I am looking to start building a clean up crew. I cant go out and buy a complete set right now but would like to start adding some critters.

What critters are best to get first? My signature has my current setup/stocking list. Keep in mind my tank livestock area is about 45 gal as the rest is the built in sump.

Thanks for the help.

Cheers,
Jerid

 

Snails. You can get some that will only eat algae, some will eat leftover food and fish doody and others stirr the sandbed. I like a few hermits but not too many.

 

Is your tanks fully cycled yet?

 

Yes, the tank is cycled. I picked up a couple turbo snails today. Any other recommendations are welcome..

 

Cerith snails are cool looking, long spiral shell. They will eat algae and leftovers. Nerites are good algae eaters and don't get big enough to knock stuff around. Nassarius are my favorite. They come up out of the sand and seem to follow trails like ants when they smell food in the water. Really quick for a snail.

 

Get blue knuckle hermits! They're cool! If you want excellent cleaner hermits, get red-legged hermits, boy those guys never quit. I have one and he just works the rock night and day.

 

Tolkein Cowries!

 

I suggest the red legged hermits as well. They are great. Also, Astrea snails work really.

I bought Mexican Turbos, Astrea Snails, and Red Legged Hermits as my clean up crew. They have done a great job. Once they settle in, you may also want to look into a lawn mower blenny (fish).

 

I just got a bunch of reef janitors from garf.org. Pretty nice selection of snails, cerites, nerites, and astreas. I think that there were about 55 of them in all. I also got 27 hermits, redlegs. The whole thing cost $82 plus shipping. I got 7 pounds of their grunge, and the shipping to Iowa was $41. Not bad really. My whole bill was $161. Lots of money, but....

 

cool, thanks guys.. I got 5 Astreas and a couple little hermits today.. Hermits look like the blue legged ones.. but its hard to tell cuz they are so little.