Assorted Invert Questions

[VoodooChild]

1) Do I have to worry about my red legged hermits getting stuck between rocks?
2) Do I have to worry about my martini snails getting stuck between rocks?
3) How often should I feed these guys (3 skunk cleaners, 9 red hermits, 6 snails with good algae growth)?

Thank you very much:) I'm just a little nervous. I want everything to go ok. I already had a shrimp somehow get stuck to the intake tube of the filter. He's ok and I think he ate some brine shrimp but all of this antennae are about have the length and some of his legs are pretty banged up.

[OrionGirl]

Sometimes they will get stuck. Haven't had a hermit get stuck, but snails seem masters of slow motion slapstick. We have one enormous snail who gets stuck behind a pipe all the time--it goes under the pipe when the sand level gets low, then is stuck when the sand fills back in. Also have had limpets get stuck behind pipes--they fail to abondon their hiding place as they grow and get stuck.

We usually try to check things out regularly--we look at the tank daily, and if a critter is in the same awkward location two days in a row, it gets moved, even if it doesn't need it.

Shrimp should regain everything next molt.

I'd feed every other day. This makes sure they don't starve, but also provides some incentive for working.

[VoodooChild]

Thanks Orion. Also, I just bough some more LR, and I noticed very small bristleworms. All but one are brown. The other is a pumpkin orange. Is this guy a fireworm? I had this huge urge to touch it and find out (because I'm 18 and I can:D ) but I decided to consult the gurus first. Resist Mike....resist.....

[kreblak]

I have never had a hermit crab get stuck, although I have seen some very odd behavior out of my red legged janitors. I did have a turbo snail decide to start cleaning a hermit crab's shell house. The crab seemed annoyed with this, and managed to over turn the snail. The snail sat for a full day on his back until I righted him. He was fine afterwards, though.

Never had an invertabrate go through the filter before. That must have been a sight! I did have a small yellowtail damsel get sucked in while wandering aimlessly after being picked on by a larger, meaner three stripe. He lived, although he never went over to that part of the tank again.:rolleyes: