First cleanup crew for 120
 

What are the best choices for a cleanup crew for a new 120?

I don't have any significant algae problem as there is no bioload now.

I was thinking of ordering a few different kinds of snails and see what does well.

I have heard to stay away from margarita snails because they die quickly.

Not quite sure how to choose between astrea, cerith, or other types of snails. Also with the different types of hermit crab, should I steer away from all of them or are any types recommended?

First cleanup crew for 120
 

If you check out J&L Aquatics in Vancouver, they have clean up crew packages.

I use Turbos, Astreas and Cerith myself. Each one does someting alittle different. I find that the Turbos will clean both the rock work and glass, Astreas tend to stay on the glass and Cerith are strickly glass. Because of their size, Turbos will go after the green hair algae more readily than the other two. Astrea, which are alittle smaller will only go after the green hair algae after it has been cropped back and all three prefer the brown diatom algae. It's softer.

As for crabs, I have both left handed and blue legs. The left handed are better equipped and fair better than the blue legged. The blue legged are also smaller. If both are in the same tank together the left handed will dominate and the blue legged will either be killed or die off. You have to remember that hermit crabs compete for homes. Also, if you keep cerith snails with either of these crabs they too will soon perish as thier shells are highly sought after. I haven't had much luck with the scarlet crabs myself. I have only tried a couple and they didn't last long dispite their larger size. Some people have conches but I haven't tried them.

I also keep fish, like tangs and dwarf angels, that graze in the tank to help control algae.

Larry