Clean-up for Agressive tank

binaryterror · #1 08/02/2007, 02:37 PM

I was looking at saltwaterfish.com today and they have some nice inverts for a clean-up crew. I was thinking of having these in the end for my 55g:

5 Turbo Snails
3 Queen Conches (or Fighting, makes no difference to me)
1 Giant starry crab (the 4-5" one, are they worth the $40?)

I also want to get a star fish or some other invert that I can enjoy looking at. I only have a 6-Line Grouper and a Barred Moray in there. But I plan on getting a Niger Trigger and maybe a Lion soon.

pinkie · #2 08/02/2007, 03:17 PM

I believe that Queen Conches can grow up to 1 foot long so unless you have an extremely dirty, deep sandbed I wouldn't really consider one let alone three.

I'd be very cautious about adding any other fish with that grouper, especially the Niger because he would outgrow your tank. If you get a Volitan it would outgrow the tank within a year.

bluerug · #3 08/02/2007, 05:13 PM

Strawberry Hermits are your best bet.

No crab in mind is worth 40 bucks, it would have to be the best cleaner of all time for me to pay that.

binaryterror · #4 08/02/2007, 05:28 PM

Will Strawberry Hermits be eaten by the grouper and eel?

bluerug · #5 08/02/2007, 05:29 PM

Nope the other fish will know to stay away from them b/c of their color and how aggressive they really are.

binaryterror · #6 08/02/2007, 05:52 PM

Ohh, do you know of a website where they are sold? Also, is there a starfish that wont be eaten that I can get?

bluerug · #7 08/02/2007, 05:55 PM

You could get a chocolate chip starfish, look at liveaquaria and places like that.

bluerug · #8 08/02/2007, 05:56 PM

Also maybe some brittle stars as well.

WorldNation · #9 08/02/2007, 06:25 PM

a brittle star would be great for fo tanks

pinkie · #10 08/02/2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by binaryterror
Will Strawberry Hermits be eaten by the grouper and eel?

Very hit or miss. Eels are actually notorious for pulling them out of their shells and eating them. My SFE has done it to 4 of these crabs. My aggressive fish will also eat them. With aggressive tanks, the best thing that can clean your tank is just you.

JStorey · #11 08/02/2007, 07:48 PM

I bought a large hermit from mylfs for $10. He didn't make it though. I woke up one morning to legs and claws scattered in the tank. The suspects are a tusk, snowflake eel, porc puffer, picasso trigger not sure who got him but based on the last post it might have been the eel. I have 2 choc chip stars and a black spine urchin in there now and nobody bothers them.

binaryterror · #12 08/02/2007, 08:00 PM

I will probably get a Choc Chip starfish for my tank, and a hermit or 2. But I REALLY want to get a Queen Conch because I heard they clean the top layer of the sandbed and that is what is dirtiest in my tank.

BRabbitC · #13 08/06/2007, 12:57 AM

Just a note to the end post about waking upto legs and shells. I used to feed an undulated Trigger and a Picasso a 5" cray fish a month. Live Crabs and large live shrimp or Cray Fish are there favorites. they attack from behind the tail on the shrimps and the Cray Fish. I recently tried to put a goby in to help with the cleaning. He lasted about a week. Then the other day I went down at feeding time and they were just finishing up on stripping all the meat out of the skin.
I agree.. the best cleaner is you. I had to buy rubber gloves a few weeks ago because of how agressive my Clown Trigger is getting.