Best cleanup crew when you have wrasses

[carri10]

Hi all.
I’m considering adding a few wrasses, probably 3 to 5, into my 300 gallon tank.

I read a lot about how they eat snails. My tank probably has 60 to 70 various types of snails that are my main cleanup crew.

For Algae specifically, I have three urchins, all those snails, a bristle tooth, a sailfin and a lawnmower blenny.

I’m concerned that if I have the wrasses, they eat the snails and the algae will start to get the upperhand.

What what do you use as a cleanup crew when you have wrasses?

Thanks.

 

[Muppy]

What type of wrasse are you considering?

Fairy, flasher or leopard wrasse don't really bother any cleanup crew.

 

[carri10]

Good point. Was considering a yellow halicoris and a melanarus. I think they are snail munchers?

 

[jkcoral]

Good point. Was considering a yellow halicoris and a melanarus. I think they are snail munchers?

They can be kill snails, and in my experience keeping both over the years, melanarus are a little more prone to it.

Keeping them well fed/frequent feedings can curb it some. And things like turbo snails are usually a good choice and less likely to get harmed.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I have a halichoeres wrasse that just went into my display yesterday. He's close to 5 inches long and his mouth is so small I don't see how he'd want to eat a snail.

Hoping he is happy with the bristleworms and amphipods enough to not kill any

 

[carri10]

They can be kill snails, and in my experience keeping both over the years, melanarus are a little more prone to it.

Keeping them well fed/frequent feedings can curb it some. And things like turbo snails are usually a good choice and less likely to get harmed.

Thanks. So what do you do for CUC? Factor in some snail replacement, or use other things?

 

[carri10]

I have a halichoeres wrasse that just went into my display yesterday. He's close to 5 inches long and his mouth is so small I don't see how he'd want to eat a snail.

Hoping he is happy with the bristleworms and amphipods enough to not kill any

Let me know how it goes!

 

[jkcoral]

Thanks. So what do you do for CUC? Factor in some snail replacement, or use other things?

I have always been a huge fan of trochus snails. They are the best all around cleaner in my opinion, are pretty tough, and will spawn in your tank. Mexican turbo snails are great algae eaters too. And I’ve become a fan of these “ox tongue nerites” I picked up a little over a year ago.

In all of my larger tanks years ago with wrasses that would kill snails, I used trochus, Mexican turbos, urchins, and dwarf cerith snails as my main workers. Given you have sand, the smaller conchs are good sand stirrers that won’t be bothered by wrasses.

And for whatever it’s worth, I’ve always viewed CUC as something that I have to top off/replenish every year or so just because losses are always inevitable and some snails might have short lifespans.

 

[JoJosReef]

Good point. Was considering a yellow halicoris and a melanarus. I think they are snail munchers?

Trochus, astreas and conches work fine for a yellow Halichoeres. They will take advantage of exposed ceriths and nerites. Nerites seem to have particularly poor defenses, especially the smaller (but prettier) virgin nerites.

Money cowries are fine too, long-lived and great workers. Completely ignored by my yellow Halichoeres.

The melanurus has more of a reputation for targeting snails. Same goes, though, except maybe trochus would be safer than Astreas.

 

[carri10]

excellent info, thanks @jkcoral and @JoJosReef

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Let me know how it goes!

It's a halichoeres chloropterus, green wrasse. They are known to get pretty large so he is about 1/2 his max size, but are known to eat smaller shrimp so I imagine I am at risk. I've seen it eat a fairly small bristle worm and it took a little for him to swallow it so I am at least safe for a while. I guess it can be a more aggressive wrasse but so far he's great