Invert suggestions?

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by Moray Eel, Feb 29, 2012.

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  1. Moray Eel

    Moray Eel Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2010
    Messages:
    86
    Location:
    MinnesOHta
    I need some inverts that will do good in a 55g FOWLR that can clean waste and algae and is somewhat interesting/fun to watch. PS: lots of caves and hiding spots in here ;).
    Here's some I really like
    Crown Conch
    Fighting Conch
    Mexican turbo snail
    Blue Leg Hermit
    Scarlet Hermit
    Peppermint shrimp
    Coral Banded Shrimp
    Cleaner Shrimp
    Serpent Starfish
    Sand sifting star
    Brittle starfish
    Flame Scallop
    Sand Dollar
    Horseshoe crab
    Pencil Urchin
    Blue Tuxedo Urchin
    Chocolate Chip Sea star
    Sea Hare
    Turban Snail
    Halloween Hermit Crab


    I'm also going to add some more sand (can I do that without having to start the cycle again?)

    Share your experience with thise inverts :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 29, 2012
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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    I have kept most, if not all and those are my experiences with them.
     
  4. SushiGirl

    SushiGirl Barracuda

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2010
    Messages:
    2,457
    Crown conch might eat your other snails and bivalves.
    Coral banded shrimp will likely kill all your other shrimp.
    Sand sifting star will eat all your beneficial sand critters then starve to death after a matter of a few months, especially in a new tank.
    Horseshoe crabs get huge, but it won't live long enough to do that. They're the same as sand sifting stars, starving to death after decimating your sandbed.
    Chocolate chip star will eat snails.
    Sea hare requires a LOT of algae and will starve when it's all gone.
    Green stars can (and usually end up) eating your fish.
    Not sure on the sand dollars, I've only read of one person keeping them successfully.
    The Mexican turbos might be the ones that don't live long in tanks, but I'm not positive on that.

    If you get a flame scallop, get the smallest one you can find. They don't live long and the larger they are the older they are. They can be difficult to keep and don't really actively clean up anything.

    Everything else should be fine depending on what kind of fish you're planning on keeping.

    One Fighting conch in a 55 should work fine for sand cleaning. We have 2 in our 55 and have to supplement them with dried algae often. They do also eat leftover meaty food.
     
  5. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2007
    Messages:
    5,734
    Location:
    Bend,Oregon - USA
    You could try an electric blue legged hermit
     
  6. SushiGirl

    SushiGirl Barracuda

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2010
    Messages:
    2,457
    I had a couple electric blue hermits. Some people say they're aggressive, but I never saw that with mine.