Feeding reef cleaners

wprata · Mar 22, 2015

I'm starting a new 34 gallons reef tank and I want to start adding some invertebrates now, such as crabs, hermit and snails, before starting adding corals and fish later. However, the tank is clean now free of algaes, free of food, there's nothing for these critters to feed on or "clean".

What is he best way to feed these critters?

Pete polyp · Mar 23, 2015

If you have live rock the hermits will probably have enough to eat. If not then you can feed them any frozen fish food or shrimp etc. Snails are going to need algae to eat though. I always just started with a few and bought more as needed until I had plenty. Eventually nature will take its course and some snails and hermits will die from starvation until you have a "balance" of what's needed for your tank.

haleyf1024 · Mar 23, 2015

Wait until you have algea grow on the glass to get snails. It should only take a week or two IME. I feed my hermits sinking pellets right now due to a fish fallow. I have probably 60-80 crabs and feed 20-30 pellets daily (but the shrimp, emerald, and nassarius snails steal some.) and they literally throw themselves off the rocks to catch one.

wprata · Mar 23, 2015

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have 25lbs of cured aquacultured live rocks but I don't see anything on the rocks that they can eat. Do I need to thaw the frozen fish food or shrimp before I put in the tank?