What CUC will readily breed in a Nano?

[SauceyReef]

I am looking to get some CUC from ReefCleaners, and was hoping to find some snails that would breed in a Nano so I do not have to keep buying more, and can feed my Mantis Shrimp now and than.

Something like Stomatellas! Any suggestions?

 

[lapin]

I am looking to get some CUC from ReefCleaners, and was hoping to find some snails that would breed in a Nano so I do not have to keep buying more, and can feed my Mantis Shrimp now and than.

Something like Stomatellas! Any suggestions?

I find ones that climb on glass and out of the tank are the best breeders

 

[Spare time]

Tbh it will just be easier to buy frozen shelled molluscs from the store.

 

[krollins]

Dove snails are small and breed quickly. Just make sure to have a lfs or a fellow hobbyist who can take some of them when they start to take over.

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

I am looking to get some CUC from ReefCleaners, and was hoping to find some snails that would breed in a Nano so I do not have to keep buying more, and can feed my Mantis Shrimp now and than.

Something like Stomatellas! Any suggestions?

I was going to suggest stomatellas. One of my lfs has keyhole limpets breeding in one of their displays. Just picked up a couple for my wife's biocube.

 

[SauceyReef]

Tbh it will just be easier to buy frozen shelled molluscs from the store.

It is an N.Wennerae so very small.

 

[SauceyReef]

Do Virgin Nerites readily breed? They are pretty cool. I remember we had a bunch of collonista snails in our old tank also. Those were awesome but sometimes clogged up the powerheads.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I am looking to get some CUC from ReefCleaners, and was hoping to find some snails that would breed in a Nano so I do not have to keep buying more, and can feed my Mantis Shrimp now and than.

Something like Stomatellas! Any suggestions?

I would suggest that in a Nano, things that breed readily could also get out of control really quickly and cause pollution issues.

 

[DaJMasta]

Do Virgin Nerites readily breed? They are pretty cool. I remember we had a bunch of collonista snails in our old tank also. Those were awesome but sometimes clogged up the powerheads.

Nerites can, but need freshwater as well as salt for their full reproductive cycle.


You should be able to get a few CuC kind of animals to spawn even in a tank that small, but the grow-up cycle is months long, so you may be averaging one spare a week at full production after months of waiting without - not something I'd count on. I'd say look for what you want to keep and if something reproduces in volume, you'll eventually have some to offer.

In my experience, limpets are actually one of the easier ones, too.

 

[Naekuh]

bristleworms.... although they are nusance, they are technically CUC. :p

Micro bristle starfish... also..
i actually want these, yet, i can't seem to find them at reasonable prices.

 

[SauceyReef]

I would suggest that in a Nano, things that breed readily could also get out of control really quickly and cause pollution issues.

I appreciate the concern, but I have been rocking 5 gallon - 50 gallon tanks the last 15 years and feel it is fine. I have never had a problem with a bloom dying off to rapidly polluting a tank unless it is Flatworms with Flatworm Exist. Worst case scenario with small tanks you can do a full water change with a couple 5 gallon buckets

Nerites can, but need freshwater as well as salt for their full reproductive cycle.


You should be able to get a few CuC kind of animals to spawn even in a tank that small, but the grow-up cycle is months long, so you may be averaging one spare a week at full production after months of waiting without - not something I'd count on. I'd say look for what you want to keep and if something reproduces in volume, you'll eventually have some to offer.

In my experience, limpets are actually one of the easier ones, too.

I appreciate the reply! I did not know that about Nerites, but I am reading on reefcleaners many come from brackish areas so makes sense. My 13.5 Fluval is coincidentally about 3.5 years old. It is filled with Limpets, Micro Brittle Stars, Bristle Worms, and tiny Chitons. Some of the chitons are actually getting quite old! A few are bigger than the length of my pinky nail. In my Reef Bowl I have a bunch of Stomatellas going! I strive to find organisms like these because they just help with overall tank health, and myself and other people notice and love them!

@Naekuh you will get bristle worms from a frag trust me! I had to find someone with Micro Brittle stars and traded a coral for like 30 of them a couple years ago. Now I have hundreds in all the tanks.