I guess it’s time for a little ugly stage....
- Thread starter Justin
- Start date
Justin
Active Member
Cuc?? What do I need? This is what I have:
1 Emerald crab
5 red Torchus Snails
8 blue legged hermit crabs
I know I need more I just don’t want to get the wrong things
1 Emerald crab
5 red Torchus Snails
8 blue legged hermit crabs
I know I need more I just don’t want to get the wrong things
Justin
Active Member
Would this be to much??
How many gallons?
Also what are you trying to solve for?
Justin
Active Member
It’s a 65 gallon and just getting started first sign of Detritus tank has been up for little over 3 months
Justin
Active Member
I would say that's a bit much. Start off with like a 10 blue legged crabs, 10 reds, 10-20 Nassarius, 1 emerald crab and 10 Astraea. Maybe a turbo if you start seeing some hair algae. I wouldn't over due it to much. You can always add more.
Justin
Active Member
Are reds safe for reefs?
What's so funny @ActiveAngel ?
Your simple comment that 100 Nassarius snails is “a bit much” for a 65g tank. Lol. Those guys are powerhouses! ...for me, and everyone has different experience, I’d say 2-6 would be plenty for a 65g tank, especially a young tank.
I would edit, total CUC:
•20 small hermits: blue legs, red legs, scarlets, dwarf zebras...
•5 Tongan Nassarius
•10-15 Red Stripe Trochus
The emerald crab isn’t really needed at this point. But you can keep him. Maybe just feed him a little to keep him from becoming aggressive.
And I would recommend against Astrea snails or Turbo snails. In my experience, these guys are both time-bombs of nutrients. The Trochus snails that you already have are perfect; get more of them!
Yes, assuming you’re referring to Mexican Red Leg Hermits. They’re the very common, tiny hermits that are usually between $1-2 each.
I never had great luck with the Nassarius with that few. But not all of us can have as pristine of tanks as you. Lol I've had great luck with the turbos though. I've got like 5 in my tank and my nutrients are close to 0.
Yeah, I find if there’s too many Nassarius, then they’ll just starve themselves down to a small handful anyways. But just my experience. It doesn’t hurt much to get a little more.
I agree that turbos eat a ton! But in my experience, they get so large and are fairly sensitive. This means the probability of them dying and the nutrients they release into the tank are both higher. But they’re cheap, and they do eat a lot!
I love the compactness of Red Stripe Trochus snails. Moderate-size, fast-moving, hardy and non-sensitive, beautiful snails, that eat a lot, capable of flipping themselves over, reproduce in aquariums frequently, and delicately maneuver around corals rather than bulldozing them like turbos sometimes do. All in all, I think Trochus are the perfect snail.
Never had the Red Stripe Trochus I'll have to give them a try!
In the spirit of togetherness, we can all agree that 100 Nassarius snails is still... a bit much. 
Justin
Active Member
Lol, yea I thought so. My tiger conch leaves a lovely white sand streak as he moves along the bottom. Is he eating the stuff or just disturbing it?
I don't understand these reef cleaner packages... the "recommended" amounts that I've seen out there seems a bit out of proportion. Seems like it would just contribute to more algae when more than half die off and you have an insane nutrient spike.
Probably both. Lol. Mostly disturbing, with a bit of eating.
Yeah, and not just at 10-20%, but often at 100-1,000% higher than what’s needed. It’s bothersome for me that companies take advantage of beginners that don’t know any better.
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While also taking advantage of noob's, buy selling them way more CUC than they need, they are guaranteeing the those tanks are going to have some big time nutrient problems in the not to distant future. To me this is worse than the snake oil salesmen in this hobby. Most of their products are fairly benign, but this is not only wasting the new hobbyist's money, it's killing these creatures slowly due to starvation. Then causing an explosion of nutrients into the system.
I applaud Justin for asking before spending! Most of the time it's after someone new makes this type of mistake that they end up here or another forum asking questions about "Why am I having so & so issue?"
The Red Stripe (or also known as Banded) Trochus should be the go to for algae! Nassarius for detritus & uneaten food. With these size snails and nothing in between hermits won't kill as many. But as a whole I'm still not a fan of hermits except in the sump. They just kill too many snails for my liking, especially Cerith snails which I like to keep several of.
Other snails I like are Limpets, Nerite, Ninja Star and Astraea. I know you have to right Astraea's but they do a great job too. They're cheap and can get into tighter spaces.
