How many CUC do I really need?

reefinginBD

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Hi there, I will be setting up 60 inch 160 gallon mixed reef tank. I will have around 17-20 fish and different types of corals. I will only feed pellets as that is the only food available here and all fish take them. So, I was wondering how many cuc do I really need? I want to have mainly three different types of snails. They are, trochus snails, nassarius snails and conchs (I don’t think they are snails) I also want a cleaner shrimp and fire red shrimp. So, I was wondering how many snails and conchs will I really need? I do not want to supplementally feed them. I was thinking of adding 4 nassarius snails and a conch as well as 6 trochus snails to keep the algae clean. Then add more snails if needed. I will also vacuum the whole sand bed monthly and clean the glass with a scrapper weekly. So I don’t think there will be much left for the snails. Will this be enough? Should I add anything else? I do not want crabs or hermits that’s all. Please let me know what else to add and how many and or of this is enough. Thank you in advance!
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Ghost25

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Conchs are snails and are excellent for turning the sandbed. Nassarius are nice to have because they take care of uneaten food, but not necessary. People like ceriths and trochus but they really only eat the very fine algae films and do very little to reduce overall algae.

I like urchins because they are less picky algae eaters but many will eat coral if they don't have abundant algae. Tuxedo urchins are pretty safe in my experience.

I have one fighting conch and 5-6 trochus in a 20 gallon. Better to start small and gradually add snails rather than dump too many in a clean tank.

I think starting your starting numbers are totally fine. Once your tank is more established it could certainly support 2-3 times that much if you want.
 

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I think that, with the exception of brand new tanks, its very hard to have too many snails (especially in that size tank). I also think that you should consider brittle/serpent stars as they are amazing at competing with things like bristle worms. I personally would consider blue leg hermits as they are tiny and can get into hard to reach places (however I understand you do not want crabs). You can definitely have more nassarius (as well as snails in general).
 

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I disagree and think most tanks have way more snails than the aquarium can support. IME you don't actually "need" to purchase a cuc. You are the best cuc. Maintenance will cover it, a cuc only helps slightly reduce maintenance required.

Amphipod population will grow to whatever level allowed by leftover food. Organisms like nassarius snails and most hermits will just compete with them for food. Herbivorous snails help clean up algae but never eat it all and don't seem to have a big impact. Urchins are better. But end of the day you still need to scrape the glass.

Note that I still get cuc for my display because I like them. Also some snails might help turn over the sand, which could be good but is not required.
 

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At max 10 turbo snails and a conch will be plenty. They are very efficient at cleaning and very often people add too much CUC and they slowly starve.
 

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Start with a reefcleaners.org package for half your tank size when algae starts appearing. Add another around month 5.
 
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reefinginBD

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Conchs are snails and are excellent for turning the sandbed. Nassarius are nice to have because they take care of uneaten food, but not necessary. People like ceriths and trochus but they really only eat the very fine algae films and do very little to reduce overall algae.

I like urchins because they are less picky algae eaters but many will eat coral if they don't have abundant algae. Tuxedo urchins are pretty safe in my experience.

I have one fighting conch and 5-6 trochus in a 20 gallon. Better to start small and gradually add snails rather than dump too many in a clean tank.

I think starting your starting numbers are totally fine. Once your tank is more established it could certainly support 2-3 times that much if you want.
I really wanted to get a tuxedo urchin but they move around frags and all so I am not 100 percent sure about that.
That is what I am afraid of, that I will add too many snails at once and they may starve. Which if why I will go pretty slow.
Would you suggest getting any other snails other than trochus, nassarius and conches?
I know the trochus can food of the algae and so can the conches but what will the nassarius’s eat? Because I will be feeding with pellets, they float so I am worried about how they will get food. Please let me know. Thank you! Also let me know if you suggest any other cuc and how many of those to get!
 
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reefinginBD

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I think that, with the exception of brand new tanks, it’s very hard to have too many snails (especially in that size tank). I also think that you should consider brittle/serpent stars as they are amazing at competing with things like bristle worms. I personally would consider blue leg hermits as they are tiny and can get into hard to reach places (however I understand you do not want crabs). You can definitely have more nassarius (as well as snails in general).
Yeah I may get a brittle/serpent starfish depending on what is available.
Are there any snails in specific that you would suggest to get? Please let me know!
the main thing that I am worried about is that I will be feeding the fish floating pellet foods, so how will the scavenging clean up crew get food. The ones that eat left over food, like the nassarius snails. Do let me know. Thank you in advance!
 
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reefinginBD

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I disagree and think most tanks have way more snails than the aquarium can support. IME you don't actually "need" to purchase a cuc. You are the best cuc. Maintenance will cover it, a cuc only helps slightly reduce maintenance required.

Amphipod population will grow to whatever level allowed by leftover food. Organisms like nassarius snails and most hermits will just compete with them for food. Herbivorous snails help clean up algae but never eat it all and don't seem to have a big impact. Urchins are better. But end of the day you still need to scrape the glass.

Note that I still get cuc for my display because I like them. Also some snails might help turn over the sand, which could be good but is not required.
I will add copepods as the first cuc. I hoping that would help and feed the fish as well keep the tank clean as well.
what snails do you like? The thing is I will be feeding floating pellets, so I am worried that most of the scavenging cuc will not get any food and starve to death. So please let me what to have and what not to. Thank you!
 
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reefinginBD

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At max 10 turbo snails and a conch will be plenty. They are very efficient at cleaning and very often people add too much CUC and they slowly starve.
Would you suggest any other snails like Cerith snails? Or anything? I will get around 5-6 trochus snails to clean the algae of the glass and rock work. And the conch should clean the algae off the sand and keep it clean. Which conch do you suggest getting? And finally, the thing is I will be feeding the fish floating pellets, so I am worried that the scavenging cuc will not get a light food. Do let me know if I should add any other snails or not. Thank you!
 

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Would you suggest any other snails like Cerith snails? Or anything? I will get around 5-6 trochus snails to clean the algae of the glass and rock work. And the conch should clean the algae off the sand and keep it clean. Which conch do you suggest getting? And finally, the thing is I will be feeding the fish floating pellets, so I am worried that the scavenging cuc will not get a light food. Do let me know if I should add any other snails or not. Thank you!
Check out the site I mentioned. It's a variety. After that you can specialize if you want to.
 

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Yeah I may get a brittle/serpent starfish depending on what is available.
Are there any snails in specific that you would suggest to get? Please let me know!
the main thing that I am worried about is that I will be feeding the fish floating pellet foods, so how will the scavenging clean up crew get food. The ones that eat left over food, like the nassarius snails. Do let me know. Thank you in advance!

I just prefer a variety of snails, not necessarily certain kinds. A mix is always better. If you are worried about leftover waste, just feed smaller amounts at a time.
 
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reefinginBD

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I just prefer a variety of snails, not necessarily certain kinds. A mix is always better. If you are worried about leftover waste, just feed smaller amounts at a time.
I see thank you so much! The thing is I am worried they won’t be enough leftover food for the cuc! If I feed pellets will the shrimp and snails be able to get food? Will the nassarius snails get food? If not what will they feed on?
 
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reefinginBD

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I might consider adding one of these shrimp early to help with hitchhikers?
I’m sorry, could you please tell me the name of the shrimp? I can’t really see them. I will get a cleaner and a fire red shrimp. Will they feed of any leftover food? But I am worried there won’t be any. Like since I will be feeding pellets, the fish will eat it all up which is why I am worried about the cuc.
 

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For a 160 gallon 10 snails is a fraction of what you will want.

I have a 25 gallon, 20 gallons of actual display area and I have 5 super nassarius, a half dozen or so trochus, astrea, and nerite and now hundreds (literally) of stomatella. They all have plenty to eat and algae still grows on the glass.

I also have two hermits.

Just don’t add them right at the beginning. Add them after you have some algae growth and in stages.
 

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As mentioned, reefcleaners.org is a good resource. Even if they don’t ship to Bangladesh you can see what they recommend.

155 gallon tank:
170 nassarius
29 cerith
46 astrea
42 hermits

Of course this is not right away in a new tank.
 

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