Clean Up Crew

[richard t]

Can anyone suggest a formula for how many hermit crabs and snails you should have in a tank?
Would it be so many per gallon or does it depend upon how well stocked the tank is?

Currently I have 1 hermit per 3 gallons of water (all hermits are relatively small red legged and blue legged).

Thanks

 

[Navarre]

1 cleanup crew per gallons of water.

this means 1 reefsafe hermit or snail per gallon

 

[richard t]

Hi Nav

Is that a maximum or minimum recommendation?

thanks

P.S> Sorry to change the subject - the mandarin I had - gave it to somebody in my local fish shop who had a large reef tank, currently with no fish. With your suggestions I thought rather than overfeed my tank to make sure the mandarin had enough food, he would ( and so would my tank) be better off in a tank with plenty of LR. (Bloke was well pleased).

 

[Navarre]

That is considred minimum tigerknife. HOwever, i also undrstand that this is a huge volume of cleanup crew for a system especially if its large. Thus what i recomend to people is to buy as many as they can afford and then each time they visit their local shop, simply purchase 1 more. its easy to buy a fish or some food etc and add a small snail or hermit to the total and this way it doesnt break the balance.

As for the mandarin... This is excellant news! it shows the newcomers to the forum do pay attention to advice given and feel consiencsously about their livestock even to the degree that they will get rid of the fish in the hope of giving it a healthier life.
Good for you my friend! you should be proud of your desision and IMO you are well on your way to being a very caring and consiencious reef keeper.

 

[Tiggs]

also worth checking out ebay - often some real bargains on there for crew at 50% of what you'll pay at the shops.

i just bought 60 snails for £40 (inc 30 nass snails) .....and it includes postage.

 

[Riley]

Today I bought some live rock and my lfs employee forgot to take off about 5 blue legged crabs they are worth about 4 bucks each he said. But im glad, he is a twofaced moron as far as im concerned and he has screwed me over many times in the past so ha anyways, good luck with your clean-up crew.

-Riley

 

[Lynden]

I was there with Riley, and my LFS manager took off several snails and hermits from my pieces
But little did he know there was 2 still remaining
Although awhile ago I asked if I could have some shells, and I was ready to leave after finding some shells.
But their employee showed me 1 more, so I said sure, ill take that one too. When I got home I found a BIG hermit in there


About cleanup crew stocking, Id say that Nav's idea is a good one.