What is your rule of thumb for CUC?

[PrisonCityReef]

Just curious what you folks use for your CUC. X Snails, Y crabs per gallon?

Is there a definitive list somewhere that tells about the kinds of snails? From what I understand there are 3-4 different types of snails out there.

What kind of snails are your favorites? What kinds should I avoid?

Right now I'm thinking 2-3 hermits and 2-3 snails of a couple different types. Maybe 10 total snails. It is a 14g Biocube.

I'm not rushing things, but I want to give the LFS in Waupun a chance at ordering a couple things for me before I resort to road-tripping up to the Fox Valley. Plus the wife is impatiently awaiting at least a hermit crab or 2 so once I see some decent algae growth, I'll toss one in. I think I may have starved my first one that came with the tank though...

 

[condiman]

Well now ther1e is a good question this is the general rule I use for my service aquariums and it seems to work.

For nassurius, nerite, certh type snails I use about 1 snail per 5 gallons
Margaretta, Astrea, Turbo I use 1 per 15 gallons of water or so.
Hermits I dont like to use but for them I would use 1 per 10 gallons.

Now in your case those rules dont work that well since the tank is only 14 gallons in size. So now comes down to what your issues are. To me for algae control I like usiiing Margaretta snails they seem to do the best work for me. If you want hermits I would use small blue leg hermits. Here is a list of what I would use in your tank

3 Margaretta snails
2 Astrea Snails
10 Nasserus(forgive my spelling) To keep the sand bed clean

If you wanted hermits expect for your smaller snails to dissapear when food supply runs out for the hermits they are very opertunistic eaters.

 

[johnanddawn]

CUC's are often way over done
i do not keep anything but a couple turbos - i think i have 3 in my 135, and a pair of cleaner shrimp
imo turbos are the hardiest/best snails
i don't like hermits as they tend to disturb corals as they walk on them

a nano doesn't need anything but one turbo - just be sure to glue everything down as they can be bulldozers in poorly set up tanks

however - if you like inverts obviously you can put many more in there without too much trouble just be aware many are not very hardy or don't live long. actually there are many to choose from some of which are quite cool to watch in their own right and can make for an interesting display - but you don't need to follow the "you need x number fo these and these and these"

 

[PrisonCityReef]

Do certain species of snails clean sand vs. rock vs. glass better? Like the Nassarius you mentioned for the sand?

 

[MSU Fan]

Well, Nassarius tend to burrow in the sand, which is usually the case with any snail with a probiscus (sp?). They will turn over the sand and help keep it clean supposedly.

Others, like Ceriths, Astrea,Turbos, I have never seen burrow in the sand. Those snails are better for rock work and glass. Turbos are the best, but they're a PITA with knocking over corals.

 

[PrisonCityReef]

In the size tank I'm looking at, I'll probably avoid the turbo. I'd rather have 4-5 little guys than 1 big guy that bulldozes things. Then if one dies, it is no big deal.

I've gotta say, switching over to R2R has really rejuvenated this club! So much more traffic!

 

[Jhildebrand]

Or you could go by the recommendations of the cleaner crew websites and get ten of everything per gallon....!

 

[PrisonCityReef]

It is more cleaning power! Like OxiClean! BEHOLD THE POWER OF OXYGEN!

 

[siropa]

i'm really distrustful of hermits. even the so called safe ones seem to pick on stuff even if only looking for algae. and it seems over time they just end up fighting and killing each other for the shells, even if there are spares to be had.

 

[Fishcrazy06]

Nothing like a good ole cold beer watching the blue legs go at. almost beats UFC!

Eric

 

[siropa]

i've watched more than a few of those battles with interest too. peeves me when they go after snails though. not sure why that matters more, but it makes a difference in my mind I guess.

 

[jlinzmaier]

i'm really distrustful of hermits. even the so called safe ones seem to pick on stuff even if only looking for algae. and it seems over time they just end up fighting and killing each other for the shells, even if there are spares to be had.

+1

I'd prefer not to have hermits either - for many reasons. When looking at a clean up crew you may want to consider what the animals feed on. Are they detrivores, omnivores, herbivores?? Do they eat all types of algea? Will they eat bacterial growth like cyano? Will they sift the sand? Will they sift the sand without eating all the beneficial little critters in the sand?

If you check out reefcleaners.org or reeftopia.com you'll find pretty full descriptions of the various critters who will fit your needs.

Jeremy

 

[condiman]

There are so many ways to do a CUC that no way is the wrong way really but I dont like doing that whole 10 per gallon thats just way to much

 

[stunreefer]

I'm really liking the responses I'm seeing in this thread so far... I'm shocked no one has recommended ten times as many animals for a C.U.C. like normally mentioned - good stuff!

First thing people don't realize is that clean up crew's do not remove nutrients... they'll utilize nutrients to grow, and then poop out whatever they don't which of course re-fuels algae. I always crack up when people post they have an algae problem and you read multiple responses leading the original poster to adding an unnecessary amount of snails and/or hermits... WRONG. Something is fueling the algae growth, so fix it...

The recommendations given in this thread seem appropriate - personally I use about ten small Nassarius vibex snails to sift and clean my SSB, along with two small blue-leg hermits to scury around and eat the extra piece of mysis or so that falls (this is in a 180 gallon tank). I don't have any algae growth on the rocks, and I clean the glass periodically by hand.

I hope everyone continues to point people in the right direction, and shun those that add hundreds of these critters to their tanks. Not only is it completely unnecessary, but many will die in transit, than many more in your tank (which of course adds nutrients that fuels algae!). This senseless frequent occurance needs to stop...

 

[MSU Fan]

I hope everyone continues to point people in the right direction, and shun those that add hundreds of these critters to their tanks.

I recommend 50 turbos for your tank... Just kidding! :xd:

 

[Bri Guy]

My CUC has diminished since I started, I had a hand full of snails and hermits, now Im down to like 2 scarlet reef hermits (I find them to be the least aggressive) and 1 Nass and 1 turbo

The rest of my CUC is hitchhikers, like mini brittle stars and colonista snails, since they multiplied so much over the years, I don't need to keep buying a CUC they do an excellent job!