CUC?

[Simmy]

My reef is about 3 months old. I have a RSM250 with 7 fish and 5 shrimp. I don't yet have any snails/crabs for clean up unless you consider the shrimp a CUC. What kind of snails/crabs/fish/starfish are people using for their CUC in a reef setup? I've got mostly zoas/palys/frogspawns/2 BTAs in my tank.

Are there certain species that are better than others?

[ashr]

My reef is about 3 months old. I have a RSM250 with 7 fish and 5 shrimp. I don't yet have any snails/crabs for clean up unless you consider the shrimp a CUC. What kind of snails/crabs/fish/starfish are people using for their CUC in a reef setup? I've got mostly zoas/palys/frogspawns/2 BTAs in my tank.

Are there certain species that are better than others?

Here is some great info from J&L
http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/250/Reef+Custodians.html

[Simmy]

Hi Ashr, I noticed that you have a RSM250 as well. Do you have a JL CUC package or are you doing something differently?

[ashr]

I have gone with the Package #2 myself as you really don't need as much as they say.

I also make my own up package sometime.

[hillegom]

I don't know if its just me or not. But whenever I have snails and crabs, the crabs will eventually kill all my snails and take their shells. EVEN though I always had extra different sizes of empty shells available.
Right now I only have hermits.

[ashr]

I don't know if its just me or not. But whenever I have snails and crabs, the crabs will eventually kill all my snails and take their shells. EVEN though I always had extra different sizes of empty shells available.
Right now I only have hermits.



It happens to everyone.. just some are luckier than others haha

[Madreefer]

It happens to everyone.. just some are luckier than others haha

You know what else happens to everyone?
Stores sucker them in to thinking they need a clean up crew.:lol:

[Simmy]

So either snails or hermits? Whats the use of buying a package if part of it is going eat the other half?

[Madreefer]

Sales sales sales. Come on guys let's get them sales up.

Stick to small hermit crabs and a good maintenance program. Snail death supposedly may cause a tank crash. I'm not speaking from experience at all cuz I don't own any. I've just see it posted. A piece of snot sticking out of a shell on my glass isn't too appealing to me either. :biggrin:

[ashr]

Sales sales sales. Come on guys let's get them sales up.

Stick to small hermit crabs and a good maintenance program. Snail death supposedly may cause a tank crash. I'm not speaking from experience at all cuz I don't own any. I've just see it posted. A piece of snot sticking out of a shell on my glass isn't too appealing to me either. :biggrin:

I have had snails die/have been eaten and never seen any ill effects on my tank.

But each to their own. I enjoy watching the hermits and snails in my tank and they do keep the sand bed, algae and what not down. I've kept small and large of both but I also don't buy as many as the LFS says you should, I agree it's about sales.


In the end I would do your own research and come to your own opinions on it. It;s your money and we shouldn't have a say on what you spend it on. :)

[toytech]

Astrea snails , blue legged hermits , cerith snails , and a fighting conch are great additions to the reef I usually add a few at a time . Astreas and ceriths are hermit proof in my experience .

[Poseidons Reef]

Hermits are def snail killers.
I stick to :

Nassarius for the sand bed
Banded trochus for the rest.

If your able try locate some stomella, there not usually forsale but many reefers have a healthy population and they do wonders keeping your tank clean, + they are tiny :)