A clean-up crew... Without snails?

[tomboys]

Me and my fiance have just got a Red Sea Reefer XL 300 and we're trying to put together a stocklist but have hit a problem - she really really doesn't like snails (there's too many in the garden, we're not having any in the house!). After a lot of nagging she has finally agreed to allow some Trochus Snails in, but Nassarius Snails are a definite no (they're too creepy). So what would you use to try to put together a clean up crew, if snails (and probably anything else equally creepy) were off limits?

 

[thatone08]

More hermits then I guess. If algae becomes a problem then urchins. Starfish for detritus.

 

[PR_nano]

Blue hermit, scarlet hermit, bristle worms
Conch or serpent star for sand
Cautious or watch nut also Peppermint shrimp, emerald crab.

 

[Jekyl]

Me and my fiance have just got a Red Sea Reefer XL 300 and we're trying to put together a stocklist but have hit a problem - she really really doesn't like snails (there's too many in the garden, we're not having any in the house!). After a lot of nagging she has finally agreed to allow some Trochus Snails in, but Nassarius Snails are a definite no (they're too creepy). So what would you use to try to put together a clean up crew, if snails (and probably anything else equally creepy) were off limits?

Check out reefcleaners.org there's a ton of variety on there.

 

[thatone08]

Shrimp are hit or miss, my cleaner shrimp bothers the corals then actually clean anything.

 

[thatone08]

Blue hermit, scarlet hermit, bristle worms
Conch or serpent star for sand
Cautious or watch nut also Peppermint shrimp, emerald crab.

If nassarius are to creepy, I don’t think bristle worms are his answer lol.

 

[tomboys]

Does anyone recommend any particular types of Hermit Crab? What do you think of a sand sifting goby (eg. Tiger Watchman/Ward's Sleeper Goby)? Was already planning to have a peppermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp as well as some emerald crabs. Tuxedo Urchin is also on my "sometime in the future" list.

 

[Df1577]

Does anyone recommend any particular types of Hermit Crab? What do you think of a sand sifting goby (eg. Tiger Watchman/Ward's Sleeper Goby)? Was already planning to have a peppermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp as well as some emerald crabs. Tuxedo Urchin is also on my "sometime in the future" list.

I've kept practically all the commonly sold reef safe hermits and the scarlet hermits (Paguristes cadenati) are definitely the best imo. At least across my tanks and 30+ hermit crabs they steal the least snail shells and seem the most peaceful. Also never had an issue with them damaging corals and some of mine are well over four years old. My Halloween hermit (Ciliopagurus strigatus) is decent too but has ripped some small corals off the rocks and killed every other individual of its own species I've tried adding. I'm not a fan of Clibanarius sp. like blue legs since they seem most boisterous, crawling on corals and killing snails or other hermits for shells. Lastly the Calcinus sp. hermits like electric blues and Hawaiian zebras are decent, though I suspect them of slightly more misbehavior than my scarlets. As for other clean up crew I can say I've had bad experiences with emerald crabs killing small fish, great experiences with tuxedo urchins, and I've never kept a peppermint shrimp. I tend to steer people away from sifting gobies since many species starve unless given an extensive mature sandbed and special accommodations, but I know people do keep them happy and healthy so it isn't impossible. I will also recommend bristle worms still since you'll probably end up with some regardless and they are practically unseen in most tanks. Great detritus control and can clean both in the substrate and the rocks. Maybe try selling her on a fighting conch for the sandbed, it's a snail but they have comically cute eyes that peek out from their shell and a long vacuum cleaner looking snout that most people find endearing.

 

[Dolphins18]

Limpets can directly act as a replacement for snails if she is cool with them!
I believe they are the worlds strongest creature relative to their size, and also prehistoric, pretty cool

 

[gentlefish]

Could she get used to cowries?

 

[tomboys]

I've kept practically all the commonly sold reef safe hermits and the scarlet hermits (Paguristes cadenati) are definitely the best imo. At least across my tanks and 30+ hermit crabs they steal the least snail shells and seem the most peaceful. Also never had an issue with them damaging corals and some of mine are well over four years old. My Halloween hermit (Ciliopagurus strigatus) is decent too but has ripped some small corals off the rocks and killed every other individual of its own species I've tried adding. I'm not a fan of Clibanarius sp. like blue legs since they seem most boisterous, crawling on corals and killing snails or other hermits for shells. Lastly the Calcinus sp. hermits like electric blues and Hawaiian zebras are decent, though I suspect them of slightly more misbehavior than my scarlets. As for other clean up crew I can say I've had bad experiences with emerald crabs killing small fish, great experiences with tuxedo urchins, and I've never kept a peppermint shrimp. I tend to steer people away from sifting gobies since many species starve unless given an extensive mature sandbed and special accommodations, but I know people do keep them happy and healthy so it isn't impossible. I will also recommend bristle worms still since you'll probably end up with some regardless and they are practically unseen in most tanks. Great detritus control and can clean both in the substrate and the rocks. Maybe try selling her on a fighting conch for the sandbed, it's a snail but they have comically cute eyes that peek out from their shell and a long vacuum cleaner looking snout that most people find endearing.

Thanks. I've already tried selling her on conches as basically got the reply "but it's still a snail".

Unfortunately I'm pretty sure that any bristleworms that get spotted will get removed instantly (she isn't even that keen on the brittle stars!)

I have heard that about gobies, I'm still unsure on them. I have heard that if you bury some food in the sandbed in order to deliberately feed them they can be alright, but I'm still unsure on how easy they are - to be honest, a lack of Snails might help them!

 

[ClownWrangler]

I think you may be out of luck. There are other things that eat algae, but they are only effective as a supplement crew. Then there are sea hairs, that will do the job then starve to death, but are actually pretty gross, unlike snails. Does she realize that aside from nerites, the snails cant leave the tank? Bumble bee snails are not gross looking at all.

IMO, the only clean up crew you need are amphipods, copepods and snails Everything else is just for novelty. You may be good with just the trochus snails if you have enough. I'm thinking of getting some.

 

[tomboys]

I think you may be out of luck. There are other things that eat algae, but they are only effective as a supplement crew. Then there are sea hairs, that will do the job then starve to death, but are actually pretty gross, unlike snails. Does she realize that aside from nerites, the snails cant leave the tank? Bumble bee snails are not gross looking at all.

I just asked, and got the response "I just don't like snails, I don't like seeing them slime all over the place and that includes seeing their slimy insides all over the glass"

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Peppermints are not reef safe. They can and have eaten my corals. Good options for snail alternatives are: serpent star, tiger sand conch, tuxedo or long spine urchin.

 

[ClownWrangler]

I just asked, and got the response "I just don't like snails, I don't like seeing them slime all over the place and that includes seeing their slimy insides all over the glass"

So what makes Trochus snails an exception? They are a good clean up crew, but I don't see how they are less "gross" than others.

 

[ClownWrangler]

Elephant slugs are awesome (they are not really slugs). I got two as hitchhikers, but cant figure out where to buy more. They are jet black and blend in with the rockwork well. They graze all day long and grow fast, even when there is no visible algae.

 

[tomboys]

So what makes Trochus snails an exception? They are a good clean up crew, but I don't see how they are less "gross" than others.

She still doesn't want them either. I just convinced her on the vague possibility of possibly adding some Snails (as long as they weren't nassarius). I just happened to choose Trochus

 

[ClownWrangler]

Like Dolphins18 said, limpets are the best substitute for snails. My favorite are elephant limpets, but they are all hard to source.

 

[ClownWrangler]

Make a deal with her. For every snail you add to the tank, you will go out to the garden and kill 10. I think there is a section for this sort of thing in prenups.

 

[Df1577]

Maybe try and trade out trochus for like 20 ceriths and then use mostly hermits. Ceriths are long lived, eat practically every common pest algae, burrow in the sandbed and even consume detritus. They are nocturnal too and spend the day buried, so you probably won't see them crawling around too much during viewing hours.