What type cleanup crew do you use?

[RussC]

What type cleanup crew have folks used? What has worked and are there any bad stories as well? I need to get some. I will have a reef tank. See my signature for characteristics. Right now I have nothing but the LR in there.

[kmk2307]

Hi Russ,
I'm a big fan of tiger trochus, nerite (pacific), and cerith snails for film algae and nassarious snails, tiger tail cucumbers, and detrito conchs for keeping my sand clean. Hermit crabs sometimes decide to kill snails for their shells so usually I don't like to have a lot of hermits in my reef tanks. In additon to an actual cleanup crew you might want to look into a sandbed "seed" kit like www.ipsf.com or www.inlandaquatics.com offer.

HTH,
Kevin

[coralreefengr]

Here' my critters:
Nerite snails (little ones from IPSF)-1 per 2 gal
Hawiian turbo grazers-1 per 3 gal not including babies
Strombus grazers-1 per 2 gal
Baha Cerith-1 per gal, maybe a little less
Cerith (smaller/black)-1 per 2 gal
bumblebee-1 per 10 gal
Fighting conch-1 per 10 gal

Zebra hermits-1 per 2 gal
Mexican red leg hermits-1 per 5 gal
Emerald crab-1 per 10 gal (had 2, got rid of the one that was eating the xenia)

Spaghetti worms (2 similar kinds)
bristle worms

There are other sand organisms that you don't really see that are beneficial as well.

I have quite the overkill in my tank for cleaners, but I tend to overfeed so there tends to be something to eat most of the time without getting algae out of control or my inverts dying off.

[RussC]

Thanks for the info. I'm beginning to see a lot about the hermits attacking the snails. Also, I've talked to a couple of LFS and they tell me they have turbo snails. The only turbo snails I've read about here on RC is the Mexican Turbo Snail. Are those one in the same or are you familiar with what I'm talking about? I have no cleanup in there right now. Would it be ok to drop in a skunk cleaner shrimp? There is all kinds of growth and stuff on the rocks. Does the shrimp eat that or is he strictly a food scavenger, etc.?

[kmk2307]

Hi Russ,
Mexican turbo snails tend to be what LFS carry the most. They are OK grazers but tend to be bulldozers and aren't really that efficient at eating algae in my experience. I think they are really spiffy and have a couple in my reef but I don't really rely on them for algae control.

Cleaner shrimp are primarily predatory and eat little critters, parasites off of fish, and should accept meaty foods.

Here's a few good websites with the best deals on cleaners (IMO):
www.etropicals.com
www.reeftopia.com
www.IPSF.com
www.anchofish.com
www.premiumaquatics.com

Hope this helps (HTH),
Kevin

[RussC]

In the past hour I have read so much on cleaner crews. It's almost worth putting together a spreadsheet that says what does what with who, who eats who, what eats what, etc. I'm just about convinced, though, hermits are little devil creatures.

[kmk2307]

Ha ha, Russ! Yeah, I think there are a lot of people who have had bad experiences with them. Scarlet hermit crabs usually get the best reviews as far as not hurting things but of course they are the most expensive and seem to be less hardy

Good luck deciding!
Kevin

[RussC]

Tell me what you think, KMK. I surfed a little at etropicals and put together a crew. Since my tank is new, just cycled, the LR in for two weeks and growing stuff all over it 1) Do you think I should go ahead and get a crew in there 2) What about 15 Astrea, 15 Nassarus, 8 Cerith, 2 Bumbles, 1 Fighting Conch. I think I'm covering all the basis with the above. Am I? I plan to pick up some things at the LFs like a sea Cucumber, some peppermint shrimp, and a skunk cleaner shrimp. Am I on the right track? Tell me again what the Astrea snails mostly eat and the Bumble Bee and the Conch? I want to be sure I remember right.

[Puffer Daddy]

Well..opinions are like you know what's and heres mine...

Trochus, esp. banded's I think are the best...
Turbos..ok as well...but I thought Dr. Ron said there was a reef temp issue with them..I have some now and like them.
ceriths...good too but I have a big problem with them falling on their backs..seems im always reaching in and helping one out every couple of days..neeless to say, I have empty shells laying around
Fighting conch....must have
Cuke....must have
Tux. Urchin...love him, cool and eats what ever algea that he stumbles into..even coraline, though not even a issue.
Strombus grazers...great as well and reproduce in tank
emeralds...cool as well..no problems with them yet.

Some others...

Sun snails from Reeftopia...great..got a few close to a year ago..only have a couple now but cool looking and do a good job.

Golden Turbos...got thes from ( I think Etropicals b/4 the takeover, or Reeftopia dont remember..)..cool as well...still have a few. Eat really good and have a good look to them.

My last order came from justphish.com which was great!!!..plus they had free shipping on orders over 60.00

[RussC]

Puffer, is a Cuke a cucumber? What is a Tux Urchin? Strombus Grazer? Did you have to have a lot of that bubble algae for that emerald to do well or does it eat other things?

[Puffer Daddy]

Sorry....
yes..cuke is cucumber..Mines the dark, least toxic and does a wonderful job on my dsb..just mopps it up big time, in fact..between him and my fighter, my bed is getting white!!..( I just added the fighter)..my fighter was from Just phish and was big..biggest Ive seen..about 3-4" and is really cool!!!..tux is my tuxedo urchin...I really like him. Really unique, and never stops!..its funny to see what he picks up as his spines will pick up lose items for camo...
My emeralds have helped some on bubble but I still have a little. To be honest with you..ive seen them eat other algea as well and I consider a good asset..that is untill they get big and possibly change there personality..but Ill cross that bridge when I get there..have fun!

[kmk2307]

Hey Russ,
Until Puffer gets back to ya I think I can answer the questions you had.

Cuke = cucumber. E-tropicals has two great types at a good price IMO so if you are getting free shipping you might as well take advantage of it.

Tux urchin = tuxedo urchin. I have one in my 45 reef and hes a cool critter. He eats various algaes including coralline and doesn't seem to harm anything as other urchins might.

The only place that I know of where you can get Strombus grazers is www.ipsf.com. They are small snails related to conchs that reproduce prolifically in reef tanks.

What you've got planned sounds good to me but if you are getting free shipping and you want things like peppermint shrimp and cucumbers you might as well take advantage of etropicals as they are probably cheaper than your LFS. Also, if you like them, their serpent starfish are cool guys and aren't likely to harm any critters unless they are absolutely starving. Astrea snails eat film algaes that accumulate on rock and glass. Fighting conchs eat algae and organic matter on the sandbed. Bumble bee snails are kind of like nassarious but I have heard that they are related to whelks and may attack snails?? I have a few in my reef and don't have snails dissappearing so I dunno what to say about that.

HTH,
Kevin

[charvel]

I have mexican turbos,astreas,emerald crabs,lawnmower blenny.

[BiggusDiscus]

My first clean up crew had some nice tiny left handed hermit crabs. But the little crabs grew to be big hermits. And yes, they went after my snails. Not always but only on the non-feeding days. So I gathered up the big ones and traded them in.

[RussC]

Tell me something. Since my tank is fairly new I've been acclimating it to my lighting. Now that I'm running my MH for 6 hours each day the algae is growing like mad. However, I am still trying to get my temperature in check. I'm having pretty good swings in temp, usually about 4 to 5 degrees a day, starting at 80 degrees and going from there. I'm working with fans and will have this in check but until then I would like to get some cleanup critters in the tank to get a hold of the algae. Will I be sending critters to their death if I go droppin them in my tank with these temp swings? Suggestions?

[RussC]

Another question. Would someone list all the film algae eating snails and any experiences they've had with each?

[BiggusDiscus]

Turbo and Astrea are the ones that I know of.

[traveler911]

Just a word about LFS's and the "turbo snails"

I have been to several LFS and found Astra snails being sold under the turbo snail name.

I haven't have very good luck with astra as I find they fall alot and can't right them sleves.

Just my two cents worth.

[moonpod]

Anything my trigger doesn't eat....