A Reef Clean up Crew
- Thread starter charlesr1958
- Start date
Amphibious
Member
Hey Chuck,
Thanks for the link to a well researched, illustrated and informative article. That will provide useful information to even the more experienced reefers among us.
Dick
Thanks for the link to a well researched, illustrated and informative article. That will provide useful information to even the more experienced reefers among us.
Dick
blue_eyes53813
Well-Known Member
Very Good link,, Thanks
charlesr1958
Active Member
Thanks, but even now, it seems so incomplete when I think of the hundreds, if not more, other possible members of a "reef clean up crew". I started out with just the typical purchased clean up crew in mind (180 hermits, 90 snails and 10 sea cucumbers package) but quickly realized that when dealing with a Reef, everything from the bacteria to the corals are all members of a huge "clean up crew", so the article quickly turned into more of a speech about trying to keep as much diversity of life that will in turn actualy be an ecosystem. That and it drives me nuts to see what those packages offer with such unsuitable animals which leads to untold number of deaths out of sheer ignorance and/or greed.
Chuck
Chuck
Reefcraze_1
Member
chucks link isn't accurate. i have been in the hobby for 10 years and the only form of clean up crew i use are blue legged hermits I have kept 5 tanks spotless with these little guys. and they are completely detrivores. With snails every fish in your tank even tangs will take little picks at them. As well as the number that you need. to keep my first 50 gallon clean i had 100 snails. eventually they all died and almost killed every specimen in the tank. The tank was saved because of 20 blue legged hermits which not only cleaned the sand bed but the crevices in all the rock work. Brittle stars are alright as long as you have no nocturnal fish that will love nothing else than to chase and snack on the brittles all night. Crabs are the best, they are sturdy and will clean everything.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
Not only have I found Chuck's information to be very accurate and useful but I have seen crabs take out my snails repeatedly. Not eat a dead snail. Take a live snail and literally eat it alive then leave the shell empty so it wasn't trying to get the shell.
Everyone can do what they want with their reef, but personally I will stick with snails, conchs, etc in my reef. 2 scarlet hermits just because they are fun to watch and very peaceful for crabs.
Everyone can do what they want with their reef, but personally I will stick with snails, conchs, etc in my reef. 2 scarlet hermits just because they are fun to watch and very peaceful for crabs.
I too have found Chuck to be informative and most helpful. I visit his site www.http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/index.html weekly and have donated to his cause. I wouldn't say his link is inaccurate, it's his opinion, you can take it or leave it.
Instead of flaming others, it's better to just state your own opinion and let others decide whose advice they want to take.
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Reefcraze_1
Member
Yes i agree that crabs will kill snails, but since i hate snails and don't use them I put a few extra shells in the bottom of my tank and I have never had a crab kill anything in my tank.
tbittner
Well-Known Member
I have the opinion that my sand sifting starfish do more than anything else in my CUC to keep things stable. I've also recently ordered a couple emerald crabs to help with bubble algae. But I also have blue, red, and scarlet hermits, and mexican turbos and nassarius snails.
To be honest, I also think that my foxface rabbitfish also does a fantastic job as a CUC member.
To be honest, I also think that my foxface rabbitfish also does a fantastic job as a CUC member.
mps9506
Well-Known Member
On a related note my foxface was a poop monster
Ate lots of algae, but left green poop everywhere...