Keeping it Fresh: What inverts are doing the best job at keeping your reef clean?

[AlyciaMarie]

The reality of reefing is that we are housing many many lifeforms that can cause some uglies in our tanks. Although some of us choose inverts for their appearance or personality, I would go out on a limb to say that our decisions on inverts are weighed heavily on whether they can handle whatever undesired "inhabitant" is growing on the reef. Do you have a certain invert that is absolutely carrying the team when it comes to keeping your tank looking fresh?

What inverts are doing the best job at keeping your reef clean?

Actual footage of my tuxedo urchin tearing up some hair algae right now:

 

[Narideth]

After having found them carried in on a random frag, I have intentionally introduced small saltwater limpets to all of my tanks. The snails and urchins do a great job but the limpets are so small, they can reach -anywhere- and I'm convinced that they are doing a massive job in keeping my rockwork clean.

Unlike my freshwater tank where they're tiny and multiply into something that is visually unpleasant, the marine tanks really benefit from the limpets working on all of the surfaces. They get a little larger and subsequently there are less of them, and they also tend to be more in the substrate and rocks during the day.

I appreciate my little shelled friends.

 

[timmyrules]

Sand sifting stars! They cleaned up the cyano in my sand…I also have a brittle star…idk what it does, but it looks cool!

 

[Sawacoral]

I've got 2 Tiger Conches in my 50g and they are beasts who do most of the heavy lifting. They spend most of their time in the sand.

 

[Crabs McJones]

The reality of reefing is that we are housing many many lifeforms that can cause some uglies in our tanks. Although some of us choose inverts for their appearance or personality, I would go out on a limb to say that our decisions on inverts are weighed heavily on whether they can handle whatever undesired "inhabitant" is growing on the reef. Do you have a certain invert that is absolutely carrying the team when it comes to keeping your tank looking fresh?

What inverts are doing the best job at keeping your reef clean?

Actual footage of my tuxedo urchin tearing up some hair algae right now:

Why am I on this list? I ain't cleaning nobody's tank!

But snails, hermit crabs, and shrimp were what I used

 

[shakacuz]

mostly my snails/urhcins did the heavy lifting, and the small amounts of hermits i had did the maintenance.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Our urchin does good in our tank!

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

My Turbo snails do a fantastic job keeping my rocks and glass clean. I have Nassarius snails and unexpected bristleworms which handle eating leftovers and other stuff. I did have a Tuxedo Urchin which did a great job too but unfortunately it died one day unexpectedly. Never bothered trying to find out why.

 

[kchristensen8064]

I voted for snails, but more specifically, Stomatella Snails. These guys are awesome.

 

[zerozero]

I voted for snails, but more specifically, Stomatella Snails. These guys are awesome.

This was going to be my answer. Lucky to have got it as a hitchhiker. Seen it futilely spawning in to the tanka couple of times. Would love more but you can't buy them over here.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I voted for snails, but more specifically, Stomatella Snails. These guys are awesome.

How many do you have in your tank?

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Most of my CUC has slowly died off (after years of service) leaving a tuxedo urchin and two strawberry conchs, but the tank looks the same. Either I'm really good at this (X to doubt) or that tuxedo is a machine!

 

[kchristensen8064]

How many do you have in your tank?

I added about a dozen a while back. I'm sure there are more now, but since they are ninjas, I don't see them often.

 

[JayM]

I'm not entirely sure, but it seems to me that my urchins (2 pincushions and a tuxedo) have been the key to algae control as I don't ever see much since they've been added.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Nobody mentioned pods??? I have tons of different kinds in my tank I frequently spot new ones the glass too. Mt urchin is also a beast, he keeps the rocks very clean. Cerith snails are probably my hardest workers out of the other snails, can't recommend them enough.