CUC Alternative?

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KidJ57

Struggling Reef Addict
Well, as I mentioned on the Xenia thread, my big hermit is a killer :shock:, which is definitely no surprise, just a bummer :grumble:. However, until I can save enough money (probably years from now) to build a predator tank that I can toss him into; what do I stock my tank with for now? Currently I've got a true perc, yellow tang, blue headed wrasse, and blue demon damsel, and my CUC is slowly diminishing. The hermit pretty much has my sand covered and my turbos have seemed to last the longest out of the varieties of snails that I have tried, but I would prefer to use something that he won't eat, if possible. And any other suggestions for additions to my tank (since I for sure can't do coral now) would be greatly appreciated.

I guess another good question for future reference since I have a lot of time to plan my predator tank, what do you use for a cleaning crew when your livestock likes to eat other livestock :shock:?
 
i have two rock borrowing urchins, do a awesome job cleaning the rocks, very cool to watch move around also, no corals in the tank yet so no clue if they would destroy them or not, just an idea on the cheap side though
 
I've read that urchins will eat all algae even bryopsis but once the algae is gone they will starve. IN the Pacific Northwest they will devastate a kelp forest and leave what they call an "urchin barren".
 
I've read that urchins will eat all algae even bryopsis but once the algae is gone they will starve. IN the Pacific Northwest they will devastate a kelp forest and leave what they call an "urchin barren".

Well now I've got something else to worry about :lol:

Instead of coral, I was thinking of adding some plants like: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=490+662&pcatid=662
Saltwater Aquarium Plants for Marine Reef Aquariums: Shaving Brush Plant

but then the shaving brush apparently can get uprooted by urchins...is there a less aggressive urchin?

Also any ideas about that sponge tree I posted in the second post... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+527+577&pcatid=577 anybody have any experience of a crab munchin' on one of these things?
 
depends on the urchin, some eat algae, some eat coral, most eat coralline algae.

and yes triggers love to eat urchins.
 
What you need is a bigger hermit!!!!:mrgreen:

This was the reason I got rid of my crabs. The kept killing the rest of my CUC. They would ambush the nasarius snails at feeding time. Those bastards liked freshly killed food not the frozen stuff.:grumble:

Brian
 
This was the reason I got rid of my crabs. The kept killing the rest of my CUC. They would ambush the nasarius snails at feeding time. Those bastards liked freshly killed food not the frozen stuff.:grumble:

Ahh, but see, the problem is not with the crabs eating the CUC; that's what they do, and since we know that, it's our fault for not setting up a tank for them to co-exist in where they will not be tempted to eat another tank mate. My crab did fine for a while when it was just him and my sea hare, only when I introduced snails to clean my glass (the sea hare seemed to like the rock better) did my crab begin to attack tank mates. Probably what I need to do is get another sea hare but then acclimate him for 8 hours like RC suggested on another thread. Then again, I'd prefer something a little more hearty; that's why I've been thinking of a sea urchin...i just don't see my crab going after one of those spikey guys. I'd love to see what the crabs natural habitat consists of, but I have yet to find any information about his specific species.
 
Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! Horseshoe Crabs!!!! :lol:
 
Horseshoe crabs don't eat algae the hunt for pods etc. in your sand bed, they do help keep the sand stired up.
 
I'll keep that one in mind, but honestly, my hermit keeps my sand pretty spotless, so I don't think I have to worry too much about getting my sand sifted. It's crazy, my powerhead has been slowly blowing sand into one corner of the tank over the last few weeks to the point where the sand is at least 3-4" deep right there, and my crab sat there all day diggin it up down to the bottom glass munchin' away on whatever he was finding
 
Seams obvious to me.

The damn hermit kills all the other inverts in the tank................ so get rid of the damn hermit.

Replace it with some SMALLER hermits and snails of your choice. Small hermits don't mess with snails too much.

Maybe I'm just making it to complicated? :mrgreen:
 
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