C.U.C. - Should I be concerned?

[tutmatt3]

Hey Guys, so I just grabbed a clean up crew for the tanks! 1x Turbo Snail, 1x Astrea Snail, 2x blue and 2x red legged hermits.
I think ima get rid of the snails since they keep falling/tipping over and can't get up on their own, so I'm righting them twice a day lol. Plus the astrea doesn't even move. I think my sandbed might be too thick for them since there is some gravel as well (i place them on the glass)

My new concern now is w/ hermits. Right now my fish are in QT, but since my Blue Tang likes to nudge herself between the rocks/floor for bedtime, I'm afraid the hermits can come & start picking on her.

Is this anything I should worry about?

 

[erinmegan85]

How big is your tank? You'll want to have some kind of snails in the tank. I know astrea won't right themselves, but I think turbos can. Don't quote me on that though. Your tang should get up and move if the hermits start to bother it as long as it's healthy. :)

 

[tutmatt3]

How big is your tank? You'll want to have some kind of snails in the tank. I know astrea won't right themselves, but I think turbos can. Don't quote me on that though. Your tang should get up and move if the hermits start to bother it as long as it's healthy. :)

I'm thinking a snail probably won't do much for the sandbed as the random blue gravel I placed on the black sand might be to big for them to navigate over

Haha I would hope so! But not sure
In quarantine she likes to hide under the PCV or even my powerhead and one time I was trying to make her move so I can move my powerhead and literally have to push her with my finger multiple times because she refused lol

 

[tutmatt3]

Sorry I forgot to answer its a 55 gallon with 60 pounds sand 5 pounds blue gravel and 40lb pounds dry + live rock

 

[erinmegan85]

Nassarius snails will help with the sandbed though! You're right usually astrea and turbos don't hang out on the sandbed too much.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

yea. snails are much better than crabs.

 

[tutmatt3]

The 2x red hermits looked to be doing a good job, the 2 blues just sit on the rocks not doing much
The turbo kinda just hangs in one spot, and the astrea just falls lol

The reds are lil chompers on the slight hair algae I have, but as said, just have fear that they can later do more harm than good.
If the Turbo/Astrea are only for glass, I think I can manage using my magnet scraper on it every few days instead. Not gonna lie the huge turbo is a bit unsightly as well, compared to my tiny fish when they go in xD

Would it be safe to just ditch that crew, and grab like 2 nassarius? They shouldn't have an issue navigating the bed, yeah?

 

[Homestead_Dad]

I would just keep them. I like my turbos they are all over the tank. On the glass, on the rocks, they don't get on the sand but they sure are busy and clean my rock better than the hermits. I just got a fighting conch for my sand bed as the the LFS was sold out of zombie snails. I don't have any astrea though.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

yea. you probably don't need any snails. 4 crabs will probably work out great in a 55 gallon.

 

[tutmatt3]

So maybe I'm just being a bit too paranoid picturing the crabs picking @ my small fish? The clowns are about 1.5cm and 1inch, then the tang is 1.5in (all size minus tail)
They usually sleep low and I know that tang is gonna nudge itself between sand/rock lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

i had a hermit eat a couple fish yea.

 

[tutmatt3]

i had a hermit eat a couple fish yea.

Anddd my paranoia increased! lol
What kind of hermits were they?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Anddd my paranoia increased! lol
What kind of hermits were they?

red and blue.

 

[erinmegan85]

I would ditch the hermits and go with snails that hang out in the sand. I forgot about the fighting conch. Those are kind of cool.

 

[dbl]

Trochus snails are self-righting. I personally moved the crabs to the refugium because I got tired of them crawling over the coral and aggravating them, but that's just me.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would ditch the hermits and go with snails that hang out in the sand. I forgot about the fighting conch. Those are kind of cool.

yup. you need a couple crabs and several types of snails. if you feed more meaty foods crabs work great but snails are powerhouses of eating stuff you cant see and dint know you had.
Add slowly to keep up on the algae diatoms etc, so they dont starve.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.258695/

 

[tutmatt3]

hmmm ok. I know I'm ditching the astrea since I know it's just not gonna make it being it keeps tipping over lol, so I'll grab a couple nassarius.
I feel bad jumping to conclusions and wanting to ditch the hermits right away lol, just that mindset' rather safe than sorry' i guess

yup. you need a couple crabs and several types of snails. if you feed more meaty foods crabs work great but snails are powerhouses of eating stuff you cant see and dint know you had.
Add slowly to keep up on the algae diatoms etc, so they dont starve.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.258695/

I noticed you said you had a few hermits eat a couple fish - were they already dying, or more of a 'sneak attack' from the hermits? lol
I don't mind keeping them in there, and understand they make take a snail shell or two, but more concerned w/ them causing harm to one of my small fish

 

[malira]

Your 55 can handle and should need more than just a couple nassarius. Cerith snails are also great for rock cleaning. Check out reef cleaners. It has great deals on prepackaged crews.

http://www.reefcleaners.org

 

[tutmatt3]

Awesome, thanks!
I ditched the astrea, and swapped the huge turbo, then picked up 2x smaller zebra turbos I believe. Way smaller and actually a ton more active. Also grabbed 2x nacarrius, they dug right in right away haha
Left the hermits for now, I'll observe & see how they act

So now I'm at 4x hermits 4x snails