Recommended cleaner crew

[ElGuappo]

i have marg snails for over 2 years now. well i bought them over 2 years ago and their still alive.

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

I've read that Margarita snails are sub tropical and typically boil in most saltwater aquariums within a short time. Has anyone kept them long term?

My favorite clean up crew members are the ones that are free and reproduce on their own like stomatella snails and mini brittle stars.

[whatcaneyedo]

Originally Posted by ElGuappo

i have marg snails for over 2 years now. well i bought them over 2 years ago and their still alive.

Do you keep your tank a little cooler (under 78ºF) or does it heat up into the low 80's?

[Myka]

I received 5 Margarita snails on an order when I ordered Nassarius snails. Grr... 4 of them died within 3 months, and one lasted about 8 months. My tank get no higher than 80. This is too bad because Margaritas are the best algae eaters out there.

You will still have to get an algae scraper for the the glass. I prefer a scraper to a magnet as I have found magnets scratch the glass real bad - just one little fleck of coralline on the magnet, and bam you get scratches from it. After wrecking two tanks this way, no more magnet cleaners for me!!

I am also a big fan of small conches (fighting or orange lip are great) provided the tank is 40 gallons or more. If the tank is too small the small type of Nassarius do a great job. I prefer Brittle Stars to Serpents, as I have known Serpents to eat small gobies. Grrr!

I also despise hermits, they are evil murderous jerks. I would call them worse, but these are public forums.

For snails I really like Stomatellas (they breed in the tank too). Astreas are great, especially if you can find the ones with the pointy star shaped shells (A. caelata), they are awesomest. I find Cerith kinda useless, both the black and the white ones. Bumblebees are in the same category as the hermits, oh and Tonga Nassarius belong in that group too. As stated, keep away from Turbo snails...they get huge. Trochus are great snails, but also get quite large.

The only crabs allowed in my tank are Emeralds, I think they do a good job picking at the rocks.

I don't like shrimp. Peppermints will eat Stomatella snails, and the rest I find to be pretty useless, and a pain in the butt at feeding time, the thieves.

[spreerider]

I love Emerald Crabs, they are awsome and are survivors, i had a tank crash 2 weeks ago because the ac in my house crapped out because it was too hot out for it to keep up and it tripped the breaker. Tank got up to 90F before i got home to find all my corals and shrimp dead, all that was left was kenya trees, waving hand coral, emerald crabs and hermits (nothing can kill those Bas#9rd)

[Koresample]

Blue legged hermits are bad? Should i get rid of the ones i have i my tank? I saw a bizarre looking crab the other night, it looks like an emerald crab and had red claws. It was only picking stuff from the rocks and i set a trap (shot glass with a piece of shrimp inside) which it completely ignored (although several blue leg were in it in the morning)

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Koresample

Blue legged hermits are bad? Should i get rid of the ones i have i my tank? I saw a bizarre looking crab the other night, it looks like an emerald crab and had red claws. It was only picking stuff from the rocks and i set a trap (shot glass with a piece of shrimp inside) which it completely ignored (although several blue leg were in it in the morning)

Its not so much they are bad, just carnivorous. If there,s plenty of food for them they may be fine, if not they will find it one way or another. Plus as they grow, larger shells are needed for homes. Keep a good supply of old snail shells for them helps.