cleanup crew for large tank

[hoopsdaddy]

As many of you know I am setting up a 165g with a 50g sump.
I need recommendations for the cleanup crew for a tank this size.
It will be a mostly SPS tank with some LPS and at least one clam.

Please voice your opinions.

[dustin_P74]

i would stick with an all snail crew due to hermits loving the taste of snail and the comfort of there shell

[Bifferwine]

I too would stick with no hermits. A mix of snails (astraea, nassarius, nerite, Mexican turbo, cerith, trochus and conchs are all good).

I'd also get a pair of stars. A brittle star and/or serpent star.

Maybe 3 or 4 emerald crabs and 3 or 4 peppermint shrimp.

That should round you out pretty well.

[hoopsdaddy]

so on the snail mix...how many of each. 10/20/???
Also, if I get some shrimp (which I love in my tank) will it limit what I can do fish wise later down the road?

Maybe this info will help also.
I would love to have several tangs 3 hippo's, one yellow, maybe one more, 3 poor man's moorish idle(hemo-something or other) and a group of anthis.
Start bashing me now before I get my heart set on these.lol
Will these fish affect your choices for the cleanup crew?
Thanks biff and dustin for the quick replys. No crabs will go in this tank!!!

[Bifferwine]

Some people say 1 snail per gallon, but I think that's way too much. If you add 1 snail per gallon all at the same time, they'll quickly eat whatever algae you have, then starve to death. Then you'll have a bunch of dead snails, the algae will come back, and you'll have nothing to eat it.

Start slow. Get a mix of maybe 30 snails at first (with a maximum of 3 Mexican turbos. They are big, eating machines. You only need a couple of those, even for a big tank). Let it go a month or so, if you get die off, you probably added too many. If you get algae, add a few more. Keep adding a few more if necessary until you get a good balance.

[dustin_P74]

i would say ten of each and then go from there depending on how much algae they eat. also you can get away with the three hippos if you add them all at the same time so that they cant establish a territory also the poor mans moorish is the only moorish looking fish that should be sold in the trade and since they are butterfly fish they are not reef safe

[dustin_P74]

forget what i said about the snails, listen to biff

[Bifferwine]

Originally Posted by dustin_P74

forget what i said about the snails, listen to biff

Hahaha!!

[Bifferwine]

You really shouldn't have more than one of a type of tang. 3 hippos will likely fight until there's only one left. Different species of tangs will also fight to the death too. The more similar they are, the more likely they will fight. For example, in the tang genus zebrasoma, you have yellow tangs and sailfin tangs, among others. These two tangs (since they are the same genus) are more likely to fight with each other than if you added a zebrasoma and a tang from the naso genus (a naso tang). So if you want more than one tang, try to get ones from different genuses.

Even then, there's no guarantee that more than one can exist in a tank together, they do tend to be aggressive and territorial.

A group of anthias would be a good choice.

Also the poor man's moorish idol you mention is a butterfly fish, as Dustin said. They can be hard to get eating, and are not reef safe. They will be fine in a fish only tank, but not a reef tank.

In a 165, you will have room for a lot of fish.

[hoopsdaddy]

Your breakin my heart on the PMMI. But, I want SPS more than I want that particular fish. I have read several articles recently that actually recommended them for the reef setup. And since those, and the Hippo's, along with the Mandrian Dragonet being some of my fav fish I was thinking along those lines.
So in the main tank how does this sound: 10nas, 10 ast, 5ner, 3 Mex, 4 emer. crabs, and 4 cleaner shrimp?
Should I put anything in the sump/fuge? Fuge is about 15gal. Will have LR,LS, and Cheato?