Cuc - What would you recommend?

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fishpalace

Member
My tank is coming towards the end of it's 1st cycle and I am starting to think about what and how many cuc I should have.

I have a 135L (35g) tank with both LR and live sand.

I was thinking about peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp and snails but not sure which ones to go for. I would like a crab but seen posts that say don't get crabs.

Was thinking 4 to begin with and then adding another 4 once I have first fish.


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frisbee

frisbee

Well-Known Member
I would probably start off with 3-5 trochus or turbo snails, and maybe a couple scarlet hermit crabs. See how they do for awhile and then adjust the population accordingly. If you have any aiptasia in your tank you might want to give a peppermint shrimp a try, but there's no guaranty it will eat the aiptasia to begin with. These shrimp have also been known to eat certain corals and small snails, so be careful. Perhaps a cleaner or fire shrimp might be a better fit.
Don't forget, your the best CUC member out there. Good husbandry & a little elbow grease can go a long way sometimes. GL.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
While various shrimp are a great addition to a reef system, they are not really part of the clean up crew.

There are a lot of ways you can go here, depending upon what direction you want to take the tank. This usually comes down to a mix of various species of snails and hermit crabs. You can leave out the hermits, if you don't like them, or plan to get fish that will eat them. Personally, I'm not a fan of other kinds of crabs, such as emerald crabs, but some like them. There are also a lot of optional CUC species you can use such as small brittle stars.

Assuming you tank has actually cycled I'd start with about 12 snails, getting as many different species as you can. You might want to skip the large turbo snails, due to size. I'd also add about 6 hermit crabs, mostly red leg or blue leg.

In a new tank, your prone to get algae problems, and the larger CUC can go a long way toward keeping in under control. Over time, you may loose some of them. They need not be replaced, as long as the tank is looking good.
 
david42

david42

Active Member
apynemeh.jpg

2nd the Urchin. Moves all over the place.
 
Joeys Tank

Joeys Tank

Well-Known Member
I have various types of CUC in my tank.

Snails: the more variety the better to cover as many aspects as possible. Some excel at cleaning the glass while others are great at sifting sand.
Crabs: hermits, decorators, HH, etc. Very good at reaching inside cracks of rock but can't get the glass. Most are omnivores which mean anything is fair game for them (algae, detritus, fish, snails, etc).
Urchins: black urchins, pincushion, etc. Love these guys. Fantastic algae control. Can knock over coral as they get larger (my pincushion is constantly pushing over frags on the sandbed)
Stars: many varieties, shapes, sizes. Some sift sand, others don't. They are the less hardy of CUC out there and struggle with water parameter changes. This could be a good thing as they would act like "canaries in a mineshaft".
Sea Cucumbers: Various types out there as well. The ones I have seem pretty hardy but definitely research any and all you consider adding.
Various types of filter feeders.

Wow, I wasn't planning on creating a long list but looking back ... I have a bunch of variety of CUC in my tank.
 
PSU4ME

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
In a freshly cycled tank, I would look to start off on the smaller size (count wise) to see how it goes. I personally wouldn't add anything other than snails and hermits, at a 4:1 ratio. Your live stock will be ok with both a vice versa if doing a reef. Some reef safe fish eat shrimp and urchins can be bulldozers to new frags. A mix of nerite, cerith and dwarf cerith will be a good choice, avoid the turbos for a 35g. IMO scarlet hermits are the most docile with blue legs being second. I have a mix in my tank and they do well. If you over buy they wil starve so like any tank, start slow and build.
 
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lzrlvr

Member
I find whatever you put in your tank they may or may not consume your problem. I had a hermit crab that used to eat all the algae on a snail that was also in my tank at that time but it never consumed the same algae that was on the rocks.
 
F

fishpalace

Member
frisbee said:
I would probably start off with 3-5 trochus or turbo snails, and maybe a couple scarlet hermit crabs. See how they do for awhile and then adjust the population accordingly. If you have any aiptasia in your tank you might want to give a peppermint shrimp a try, but there's no guaranty it will eat the aiptasia to begin with. These shrimp have also been known to eat certain corals and small snails, so be careful. Perhaps a cleaner or fire shrimp might be a better fit.
Don't forget, your the best CUC member out there. Good husbandry & a little elbow grease can go a long way sometimes. GL.
Click to expand...

Thanks and agree, frequent water changes and no over feeding is planned and key to keeping clean.

Not sure about having crabs as seen very mixed views about what they eat and sometimes destroy.

Like idea of cleaner or fire shrimp.


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F

fishpalace

Member
PSU4ME said:
In a freshly cycled tank, I would look to start off on the smaller size (count wise) to see how it goes. I personally wouldn't add anything other than snails and hermits, at a 4:1 ratio. Your live stock will be ok with both a vice versa if doing a reef. Some reef safe fish eat shrimp and urchins can be bulldozers to new frags. A mix of nerite, cerith and dwarf cerith will be a good choice, avoid the turbos for a 35g. IMO scarlet hermits are the most docile with blue legs being second. I have a mix in my tank and they do well. If you over buy they wil starve so like any tank, start slow and build.
Click to expand...

Thank, makes sense to add 4 or 5 and then once hardy fish are added look to add a couple more. I have read that you can keep on adding but as you say they will need sufficient waste/algae to survive.


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Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Agree with PSU4ME, to start off small and then build upon them. That way you can customize the cuc to your tank needs and what you like.

Some good snails include nerites and cerith, they are nice and small.
For snails that turn up the sand go for nassarius.
If you go with turbos, get one to start with, these snails get large for in a 35g tank.

I like hermits, red scarlets are small. If you add hermits make sure you add extra shells for them otherwise they may go after your snails for new shells.
The emerald crabs are great also.

Shrimps are fun. They will eat left over food that the fish miss, so for a cuc that is helpful. The Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) is a fun shrimp. If you get two they will pair up (they are hermaphrodites).
 
F

fishpalace

Member
Oxylebius said:
Agree with PSU4ME, to start off small and then build upon them. That way you can customize the cuc to your tank needs and what you like.

Some good snails include nerites and cerith, they are nice and small.
For snails that turn up the sand go for nassarius.
If you go with turbos, get one to start with, these snails get large for in a 35g tank.

I like hermits, red scarlets are small. If you add hermits make sure you add extra shells for them otherwise they may go after your snails for new shells.
The emerald crabs are great also.

Shrimps are fun. They will eat left over food that the fish miss, so for a cuc that is helpful. The Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) is a fun shrimp. If you get two they will pair up (they are hermaphrodites).
Click to expand...

A good mix and have looked at scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp and looks good and sound a like an easy cuc to introduce. Was no thinning of having crabs but might try 1 to see how it goes


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