I was at my LFS discussing my tank with a couple people who work there and they are telling me that the only thing that I need to add to my cleaning crew if I eventually want a reef tank and that I also need some stuff sturring up my sand in the bottom. I bought 1 horse shoe crab and 1 sand star that is all they had available. What else can I get and were would be a good place for me to maybe order them online?
Easy question this time
- Thread starter youtoo54
- Start date
little_fish
Moderator
Those are terrible things to start with, please return them! There is no way your sand bed can support either or both of those creature. Also horse shoe crabs are not good for the standard tank because they require huge open sand beds, they get very large over time, and they are known to move rocks around looking for food.
A clean up crew should consists of snail, hermit crabs or shrimp. The best place to get your CUC from is reefcleaners,org. You can build your own custom crew, or he has pre-built packages. Excellent customer service, plus they always through in extras.
A clean up crew should consists of snail, hermit crabs or shrimp. The best place to get your CUC from is reefcleaners,org. You can build your own custom crew, or he has pre-built packages. Excellent customer service, plus they always through in extras.
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
+1 little_fish. And I'd throw in a serpent star.
little_fish
Moderator
+1 on the serpent star, but stay away from the green ones. They are known to eat fish when they get big enough.
You might one day have a tank mature enough for a sand sifting star, but i would wait at least 6 months.
You might one day have a tank mature enough for a sand sifting star, but i would wait at least 6 months.
Smitty
Reef pro
I agree with the ladies...the lfs should have known better than to sell you those creatures...that just proves that they are all about the money.
little_fish
Moderator
You should have cleaned your sand very throughally when you moved, it will cause your tank to cycle for an extened period of time.
Either way, i wouldnt have those creatures in there. You *might* have enough to support the sand sifting star fish, but i know you wont have enough for the horse shoe crab. They need like 10 sq. ft.
Either way, i wouldnt have those creatures in there. You *might* have enough to support the sand sifting star fish, but i know you wont have enough for the horse shoe crab. They need like 10 sq. ft.
little_fish
Moderator
Then it is paramount you return both the horse crab and sand sifting star. Any amount of nitrates is very toxic to them.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
For a CUC, I'd recommend a mix of snails, emerald crabs, perhaps some hermit crabs (that one's up to you), brittle or serpent stars, and shrimp. I would not recommend horseshoe crabs to anyone, and I wouldn't recommend sand sifting stars to 99% of reefers. They are tough animals to keep alive and their needs usually can't be met by our systems.
To keep your sandbed clean, instead get a bunch of nassarius snails.
To keep your sandbed clean, instead get a bunch of nassarius snails.
jamestown478
Reefing newb
what should I have for a 10 gallon setup? I currently have 2 snails and a hermit.
little_fish
Moderator
I would add a couple more snails, mabye a turbo and a few asterias for the algae. Then like 3 or 4 nass snails to keep the sand bed stirred. And then a handful more of the hermits. Be sure to get some empty shells for the hermits to try and lessen their desire to kill your snails for their shells. If you can find them, the mini brittle stars would be great for your tank.
