Detritus defenders: What critters make up your clean up crew?

[Peace River]

Detritus defenders: What critters make up your clean up crew?

Using a clean-up crew (CUC) in your reef tank can be beneficial for reducing unwanted algae and dealing with waste and other detritus that settles in the tank. From snails to crabs and much more there are many options to choose from when selecting a CUC for your aquarium. Getting the right combination and replenishing at appropriate times can take some understanding and effort. There are several online sources that have recommendations for what to include in a CUC. Let’s talk about what critters that you have for a clean-up crew in your tank and any related tips or recommendations that you can share.

Pro Tip: It is helpful to understand the abilities and requirements for each species that are included in your clean-up crew. Additionally, please know that many CUC recommendations from online sellers are more than required.

Photo by @Dannyboy402


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

"Our mission is to help save the reefs by providing the highest quality live reef foods for every aquarium - from small biocubes to mid-sized reef aquariums, to giant aquaculture facilities" -@Dinkins Aquatic Gardens

 

[Timfish]

I've never been impressed with snails. The whole idea of having to replace on a frequent basis seems counter productive. As detritus has a role in the carbon and nitrogen cycles I don't see it as having to be dealt with on a regular basis either. Urchins and brittle stars seem much better options, they ar emuch longer lived (decades), urchins are more effective than snails as they scrape algae down to the bare rock and brittle stars will reach into crevases snails can't go. Large algae eating hermits like thin stripe and Calcinus genus hermits are more effective because of their size as well as Sally Lightfoot crabs and in my experience much longer lived than most of the samller hermits sold for CUC.

 

[exnisstech]

I have everything on the list plus sea cucumbers and lots of bristle worms and micro brittle stars

 

[brandon429]

there are no animals that eat detritus without expressing basically the same amount as particulate waste (detritus)

there aren't detritus removers unless they're busy animals like fish that physically kick up waste for the currents to carry off into filters (or settle elsewhere in the tank the majority of the time)

CUC's produce detritus, they don't remove it.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I use astrea and trochus snails, urchins, and some hermits for algae control. I have a large brittle star for creepy effect, but I'm sure it helps cleanup waste as well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Astrea -cerith and nerite for me.

 

[Alexraptor]

I don't think of detrivores as removing detritus, but rather refining it so that there is less organics left behind that needs to decay, so as to reduce the overall amounts of dissolved organics.

Personally I leave that to the worms and microfauna, that's what they are good at. Instead I focus on controlling algal and bacterial growths on rocks. My goto's are Trochus snails and ring cowries, both are hermit resistant to varying degrees, and the later seem to have greater long-term survivability than even trochus snails. Then I have some wonderfully unidentified, red legged & large clawed, hermit crabs, that is just fantastic at keeping the rock surfaces pristine!

 

[Gman83]

I purchased a reef cleaners package that has most of the cuc listed above. Additionally, i have two margarita snails that are the work horses of my tank, mowing down any algea they can find.

 

[Dburr1014]

The comment about vendors requirements for cuc I agree 100%
I will build up to what I need. Buy a few here and there until I think I have enough. There is a lot less deaths this way.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Cleaners do eat detritus - Bristle worms, spaghetti worms, peanut worms, sea cucumbers, fighting conches, hermit crabs, peppermint shrimp and snails

 

[shakacuz]

40G breeder DT crew: 1x electric blue/blue knuckle hermit crab, 1x scarlet red hermit crab, 1x halloween hermit crab, 4x astraea snails, 20-40x cerith snails (varied sizes of florida cerith and dwarf cerith), 4x trochus snails, 4x nerite snails, 1x mexican turbo snail, 1x fighting conch, 1x strawberry/tiger conch, 4x money cowrie's

20G long sump crew: 1x royal red tuxedo urchin, handful of red/blue legged hermit crabs in each chamber.

snails up top, crabs down below(with the exception of the 3). i noticed that the hermits would knock over and dislodge my rock work(none of it is glued other than my corals). i currently have a growing tomini tang in my DT so i found it easier just to move the hermits below until i can rehome the tang. but i may end up just increasing the snail CUC #'s up top whenever i do rehome it.

 

[GARRIGA]

My other are Margaritas which used to breed but now just going to keep adding astraea since 1/5th the price, more aggressive grazers and can source them locally off my own waters. Blue legged hermits disappeared although every now and then I see one. No clue why they have perished or hidden.

Had an urchin but seems it starved and perished. Not doing that again. Astraea my new go to CUC

Hoping to find the non-stinging bristle worms as poop eaters. My zombies are great on dead fish but not solving uneaten pellets. Had amphipods added as well but those numbers have diminished and need to restock although was hoping they just reproduced.

 

[reeftivo]

turbos, nerite and ceriths are my hardest workers.
here's what i have at the moment:
Trochus Snails
Emerald Crab
Ceriths
Nassarius
Astraea Snails
A Bunch of Dwarf Ceriths
Nerites
Assorted Hermits
Turbo Snails

 

[AKL1950]

I listed several critters, but the main group I had to list under Other.

That group would be “I, Me and Myself”. Critters just change stuff from one form to another, but they don’t remove anything. The main removal of detritus is accomplished with good old fashion elbow grease. Suck it up, stir it up or pick it up. It has to be physically removed from the tank and critters can’t do that.

 

[ReeferHD]

+ conchs

 

[blecki]

This poll should include bristle worms, brittle stars, sponges, pods, chitons, feather dusters, and all sorts of other micro-fauna.

 

[radiata]

My "others" are a conch and two varieties of Sand Dollars I use to keep my 3-to-4-inch sand bed in motion. I don't think I've vacuumed my sand bed in over 15 years.

 

[TWYOUNG]

After trying most things on the list I’ve had the best results with large Mexican turbos and Tuxedo urchins.

 

[LPS Bum]

My CUC consists of 1 large Conch, 1 turkey baster from Amazon, and a ReefMat 1200.

 

[ReefGeezer]

"Other" for me, but I don't have much sand. I still have a few Nassarius Snails left, but when they are gone I won't replace them. I think clean-up crews are overrated at best. I also think that bacteria and husbandry can manage solid organic waste in established, well balanced tanks.