Is this too much cleaner crew???

Sir Alex

Dragon the eel (below)
So this is what I had: 2 turbo snails, some other kind of snail (a little smaller than the turbos), and 2 red leg hermit crabs. Now my father's freaking out because I went out and bought another turbo snail, two more red leg hermit crabs, and a tiny blue leg hermit crab. And he's only noticed the snail... He says that they're all going to starve because there's not enough food. And I'm thinking "If they're so starving, then why is there algae on sand and hair algae on the rocks?" :grumble:

Do you think he's over reacting or are my little snails and hermits gonna die?
 
Snails wont really touch hair algae, but they will clean all of what will be sprouting, if your tank is a 110, thats fine. A clean up crew like that in a 110 would be a bit too little, but in my opinion you have enough turbos. normally people recommend about 1 red scarlet hermit for 4-6 gallons.
Even if they may starve, my nass and hermits take food from my hand (turkey baster) so i think your good.
 
normally people recommend about 1 red scarlet hermit for 4-6 gallons.

They're not scarlet hermit crabs, they're the dwarf red tip ones. I had some scarlet hermits and they where quite a bit larger then the dwarf red tip ones.

Hermit crabs eat hair algae don't they?
 
Blue legged hermits are the best for hair algae i have been told, but my guys never seem to touch it. What is good for one, may be crap for another. Hit and miss i say mate, lawnmower blennies, foxfaces normally eat hair algae.
But i know Dwarf red tips eat algae and detritus, but hair algae i have no idea, maybe someone will chime in.
 
I think the blue leg is more interested in the hair algae. I put all of the new crabs on a rock covered in hair algae and the blue leg one ate more then all of my other ones have combined since I got them. And it's like 1/4 of the size of the other ones. I just wish I had gotten two...

Oh yah, I have a bumble bee snail.
 
Now he's complaining that I got shells. They are kind of big but I asked for shells and that's what they gave me... :grumble:
 
I will say, it's VERY refreshing to hear that your dad cares about the well being of the animals you are buying! It's nice that he worries about the tank meeting their basic needs. Way to go Dad for that!
 
I will say, it's VERY refreshing to hear that your dad cares about the well being of the animals you are buying!

Well I do to, but I don't think that 5 hermit crabs are going to starve in a 110 gallon tank...

Btw, I think I just found a molt in my tank. Do they need to go in to a new shell after they molt? When I got the other hermit crabs a couple days later I though I had found a dead body, but I never found the shell, so maybe it's still in there somewhere. How long should they be acclimated?
 
They can stay in the same shell through molts. One shell can usually accommodate them for several sizes.

Hermits are pretty tough. They don't need as long acclimation times as snails, shrimp or stars. Half an hour to an hour should be good for them.
 
HA!! this is what i have in my tank for snails and hermits. this is what john recommended at reef cleaners.org

30 dwarf ceriths
15 nassarius
12 florida ceriths
3 limpets
7 blue legs
4 large nerite and 7 medium nerites
 
Algae Attack Pack - Standard


For 100 gallons:

20 scarlet hermit crabs

40 Mexican turbo, margarita, or zebra turbo snails

65 red tip, yellow tip, or zebra dwarf hermit crabs


I think I told him about this but he just said "you don't need that many cleaners."
 
Mix it up....websites are always tring to sell more....IMO u need more diversity.....emerald crab, scarlett hermit.....theres so much more to a CUC than 2 snail types and 1 hermit type....jus my opinon i guess......i also see no shrimp in there such as a CB or pep shrimp......idk just sayin mix it up a bit.
 
I agree with dana
I have from nass to cerith, turbo, scarlett hermits to blue leg hermits, emerald crabs pep shrimp, cleaner shrimp.. I also think diversity is best..
 
Is this too much for a 75 gallon tank? It's still quite a bit less than what they recommend on liveaquaria.


5X: Scarlet Hermit Crabs

30X: Assorted Hermit Crabs

Florida Fighting Conch

Juvenile Fighting Conch

20X: Empty Hermit Shells

10X: Florida Cerith

5X: Turbograzer Snail

5X: Dwarf Cerith

5X: Nassarius Vibex

2X: Nerite Snail (small, medium)

3X: Nerite Snail (large)

Brittle Star

All of this for $66.27 + free shipping from reefcleaners.org. Should I get a bag of pods? I'm going to temporarily put a piece of live rock from my one 110 and some chaeto. Will there be enough pods on that?

Wait, isn't there some kind of living reefs coupon?
 
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Looks ok too me, dont know about two fighting conch's together, but no expert on snails. As for the copepods, there is nothing wrong with adding a culture to your tank.
 
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