Kessil

Alternate clean up crew ideas?

rygh

rygh

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So I used to have lots of snails. I even had Trochus spawn and breed.
Now, they all seem to die quite quickly.
All types, Cerith, Astrea, Trochus, and Turbos.
Turbos seem to last a bit longer though.
Snails do ok in the fuge, so I am pretty sure it is one of:
1) Large brittle stars.
2) Mystery Wrasse
3) Cuban Hogfish

Interestingly, my brittle stars are pretty much always hiding now as well,
where before 2+3, they used to be out quite a bit.

Any thoughts on what could clean up film algae, and yet be wrasse-safe?
Also, acrylic and reef safe.
 
5-6" serpent star & conch keep my sandbed white and a huge cowry (size of an egg) and 3 pepps all work on the rocks, I find myself not in an urgent hurry to replenish the usual CUC ever since I added all these bigger ones.
 
Appreciate the ideas.
I am a bit nervous about a cucumber, but maybe.
I had a conch, but it kept getting stuck in a few spots.
Perhaps I should tweak the rock-scape, and try again.

Now I just need to find them. Not all that common in LFS.
 
rygh said:
Appreciate the ideas.
I am a bit nervous about a cucumber, but maybe.
I had a conch, but it kept getting stuck in a few spots.
Perhaps I should tweak the rock-scape, and try again.

Now I just need to find them. Not all that common in LFS.
Click to expand...
I have 2 conchs and they do a great job. One I got from Reef Raft in Fremont and the other from Aquarium Concepts in Dublin.
 
Nassarius for sandbed maybe?

Ever try nerites? They do a good job on my glass but do like to go on "walk about" up and over the tank rim, so if you're running a rimless setup it may be more of a pain then they're worth.


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I think you're missing the point where his wrasses are eating and or harassing the snails tho. Diamond goby is way more efficient than nassarius as well
 
Hmm, Diamond Goby is a fun idea.

I do have a couple of Nassarius, and they survive, but mostly just come out when I feed.
 
Trying not to hijack, but do gobies (such as diamonds) disturb rock work at all? I've been considering getting one myself.

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Coral reefer said:
I think you're missing the point where his wrasses are eating and or harassing the snails tho. Diamond goby is way more efficient than nassarius as well
Click to expand...
The nassarius snails I get locally are roughly 1" in size. The small ones I've gotten from reef cleaners I can see getting snacked on, but not these.


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aquatic mouse said:
Trying not to hijack, but do gobies (such as diamonds) disturb rock work at all? I've been considering getting one myself.

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Click to expand...
They can cause rockslides depending on how deep your sand bed is and how sturdy your rock work is. They can pick up tiny chunks of rock and more commonly empty shells to help build there caved and cover the entrances, but they won't bother your rock work on purpose. If you have fairly heavy pieces stuck down into your sand pretty good or even resting all the way on the bottom of the tank you will be fine.
 
swk said:
The nassarius snails I get locally are roughly 1" in size. The small ones I've gotten from reef cleaners I can see getting snacked on, but not these.


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Click to expand...
Cuban hogfish is pretty beefy... I used to have a 5-6" blue headed wrasse that picked up snails like that, and big hermits too, and then bashed them into rocks, and ate whatever came out!
 
rygh said:
Hmm, Diamond Goby is a fun idea.

I do have a couple of Nassarius, and they survive, but mostly just come out when I feed.
Click to expand...
Yeah, nassirius seem to stir the sand as a side effect of their active food hunting at opportune times instead of cleaning the sand constantly like its their job. It really takes a ton of them in a tank like yours to keep it totally stirred up. If you can get a nice healthy pair of diamonds they'd do the job.
 
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