A Guide to Clean-Up Crews

[Liz]

I think there should be a sticky on clean-up crews. I've read several threads talking about various snails and crabs and such, but I think there should be a simple compilation list of clean-up crew members and their individual roles, a simple reference to aid anyone who needs help on deciding which to purchase.

So far I have collective info on various organisms and what uses they serve, feel free to correct me or add:

SNAILS
All need to have an established tank (sg 1.021-1.026) with possible supplements of Calcium and proper pH and kh in order to use calcium. They are highly sensitive to copper-based meds- never ever use one in your tank! In a full reef I'd recommend as many as 1 snail per gallon to control algal growth.
Turbo
*hair algae

Astrea
*cleans glass
*green, brown film algae

Trochus
*cleans glass
*stirs sand
*Variety of algae

Nerite
*cleans glass
*suggested for refugiums

Nassarius
*stirs sand
*detritus

Cerith
*stirs sand
*film algae
*diatoms
*cyanobacteria
*detritus
*hair algae (? I've found conflicting info)

Margarita
*not suggested, will die at tropical temperatures

CRABS
Also require sg from 1.021-1.026. They are sensitive to copper also and you must provide the hermits with spare shells or they'll kill your snails.
Hermits
Red-Legged
*detritus
*”best” algae eater
*hair algae
*cyanobacteria

Bue-Legged
*detritus
*hair algae
*cyanobacteria
*comparatively bad temperament

Others
Emerald
*bubble algae
*hair algae
*generally herbivore

Sally Lightfoot
*micro & macro algae

STARFISH
Are great detrivores and sand-cleaners, all need adequate hiding places and no aggressive critters! They are very sensitive to copper and nitrates.
Serpent
*detritus
*left over food
*dead fish

Sand-Sifting
*stirs sand
*detritus
*infaunal organisms

CUCUMBERS
Are great detrivores and sand-cleaners but are most all toxic, so you have to make sure there are no aggressive fish in your tank or they'll eviscerate themselves, in which case the toxic guts or bronchial area will rapidly foul your tank. They are very sensitive to copper and nitrates.
Sand-Dwelling
*detritus
*infaunal organisms

[mikelush78]

Brittle Sea Star [list]
*Bits
*Detritus
*Small fish (if not fed regulary)

[reavesinc]

how about diamond back gobys they sift sand

[bigb1112]

I have a sufficient clean up crew, but i have dead brown algea on my sand and nothing seems to eat it. What should i do?

[TrevDizzle]

I bought about 5 snails and some hermits, within about 4 months after tank was cycled they had all died. What would be the cause of this. My ammonia and nitrite levels are 0 ppm and my nitrate is above 40, which I understand is way to high. I have a 55-gal tank with a Coralife Super Skimmer. Could the cause of death possibly be due to low calcium levels. Any advice welcomed.
Thank you!

[Moonshadow]

I have a sufficient clean up crew, but i have dead brown algea on my sand and nothing seems to eat it. What should i do?

I have used a toothbrush to remove the dead algae. It seems to work well but you have to be careful on some of the rock so that you don't harm the critters living there.

[Catch23]

I think this is a great thread; I thought I would add my $0.02:

I dropped in 2 cerith snails to a band of red-legged hermits and within minutes, one of the hermits quickly preyed upon the snail...ate him and stole his shell.

I have several shells in the tank and the hermits shouldn't be that hungry. They have never done this to any of my other snails.

Guess the hermit really liked the way the shell looked (and felt)? Maybe I should have expected this, since these hermits were already wearing a cerith snail's shell to begin with?

Good thing a cerith snail only costed me $2.

[bloo1987]

Hey what would get rid of the red algae slime on the sand bed? And how would I get rid of it?

[VanQvreef]

I was always against adding urchins to the tank as I thought they were boring and ugly. Well, I changed my mind and my favorite denizen is now my ORANGE, Purple, and deep green urchin who is cleaning the algae from my rocks quicker than my 4 turbo snails, 2 emerald crabs, 2 blue legged hermits and one red hermit combined over the past 2 2weeks..
But the urchin does seem to put out a lot of waste as he tears through my algae.
Have a 30gal cube only 6weeks old. The algae in the picture with the clown and crab has vanished in the past week since I got my urchin.

[Germanman]

a uv sterilizer gets rid of the brown(diatoms). i know its not a animal but it does the job.

[fishcatch22]

anyone got any good reccomendations for a clean up crew for a 5G?

[Subliminal]

Got snails?

http://lh3.google.com/image/damontmorris/RhkskvH7DSI/AAAAAAAABIE/Baek11UNT8A/s400/IMG_2420.jpg
http://lh4.google.com/image/damontmorris/Rfkqu8SPpWI/AAAAAAAABEE/wnNfM-qFcbs/s400/IMG_2337.jpg
http://lh6.google.com/image/damontmorris/RfCKmHPtRzI/AAAAAAAABB8/lZ5KlV2Rk5Y/s400/IMG_2238.jpg

[hobbit]

I am so at loss, i don't want to mess up. what would you guys put in a 12 US gallon? Right nmow, i have a single turbo snail. I also LOOOOVVEE hermits/crabs/shrimp

[Reefscape]

i would just have probably 3 snails and 3 hermits anda cleaner shrimp....you are not going to need a great lot in there...should be just fine for you..

Niko

[0m3n]

would you consider coral banded shrimp good cleaners?

[hobbit]

they kill other shrimp... And can bully a sleepy fish.

[Rags]

I have 2 sandsifting starfish. They are doing a wonderful job with the algae in the sand, and I think they're trying to mate. Would a red-legged hermit crab be likely to attack my stars?

[Reefscape]

i doubt it mate.....

[Longinus]

I know someone mentioned in the begining that blue legged hermits have a comparatively bad temper to red legged hermits, but I have yet to see this problem, and I am keeping assorted types of snails with my hermits and have yet to loose one. If anything, my blue legged hermits are afraid of my emerald crab and turbo.

Just my two cents.

[BIGgourami]

bumblebee snails
-film algea
-rock algeas (micro)
-hair algea (when not terribly long)
-cyano (a little, in hapenstance with film algea)

[arpy]

Cerith snails should be sold with a warning sticker... I ordered 6 of them from my LFS (they don't keep them in stock, and I think I know why now...). The smallest out of the batch was about 1.5" with the largest being 2.5" or so (larger than the info I read stated). Within the first several hours of having them in the tank, I had to rescue 3 of them that fell off rocks getting stuck upside down. If they don't land near a rock or glass, they're stuck :shakehead: .

Now a day and a half after adding them, I have had to flip one over no fewer than 10 times :wall: . I travel quite a bit for work, so I am guessing these will soon be big new homes for my hermits. I am giving at least one to a friend... assuming at least one makes it through the next week while I'm gone.

I haven't checked with the LFS yet to see if I can trade them back in for something - but again, they don't keep them in stock, so I won't hold my breath.

[arpy]

Well, they seem to be doing better now... maybe they just weren't used to their new home yet - they would just pull into their shell and sit there for hours. Now they will push sand until they can get upright - brilliant! :idea:

[wferr337]

I found 2 sand sifting Stars (tiger I think) at my LFS 2 for $20. I picked them up then read some things about them eating everything in the tank and then starving.

I have a 46 galon, with 80# live sand, and 20 # live rock, false perculated, spiny sea urchin, 5 red hermet, 10 snales, and cleaner shrimp. Will they starve? Should my LFS only sold me one for my size tank? What do you think?:help:

[ricsreef]

Hi Liz,I know this is off the subject,but I noticed you have a Mandarin with a Moray Eel ,I too have a 12" long Snowflake Eel and I was afraid to add even a large Mandarin for fear he would be eaten.Any Advice?

[VickyH]

I bought a beautiful sea urchin just like the one pictured earlier in this thread and was also impressed by how well it cleaned the tank, a few weeks on though he had to go back to lfs. It was just too efficient in my tank, the rock had been stripped clean and my algae blenny was not happy! They may be better in bigger tanks but I wouldn't recommend one for a small tank, even my coralline algae seemed to be disappearing.

[Almondsaz]

The key to the effectiveness of the cleanup crew is balance. I would not get two sandsifting stars unless I had a really big tank. I have one in a 70 but waited 6 months so that there would be enough for him to eat and stay healthy. Sea urchins are also a curious lot. I don't take to thelong spine urchins for a reef tank, only the tuxedo urchin. The pencil and "spined" urchins are too distructive to the aquascape. I also belive that when the long spines move around the upset the softies by poking them as they travel in the tank. Just my opinion. I also believe that many stores, sites want you to have an enormous amount of memebers of your cleanup crew. For me, it worked much better to add qty in waves. Fewer in the begining and then as the algae builds up I added more - that is just what has worked for me.

I am glad to know that there is a snail that helps with cyano...most of the time you read "adjust your flow". I can't even begin to count how many times I have adjusted the flow - I have stopped chasing flow for now.

[sexylilfreak]

is an orange yellow goby good to use as a clean up crew. more info please?

[Reefscape]

is an orange yellow goby good to use as a clean up crew. more info please?

You'll need to be more spedific to get an answer to that one..

Niko

[Robin Alv]

My snails are doing a good job also. They're amazing little eaters - seem to do it constantly!
Robin

[Jenn Cos]

will saltwater snail multiply and take over the tank the way fresh water snails do ?

[fishcatch22]

will saltwater snail multiply and take over the tank the way fresh water snails do ?if you're talking about reproducing in the home aquarium, it depends on the species... stomatellas, conchs, and occasionally cerith snails have been known to breed in the aquarium.... im sure there are a few more but I can't remember them right now.
and there are no snails that will "take over the tank" in either aquarium field ;) the noly time that happens in FW tanks is if you overfeed your tank, which causes the snail population to boom in response. all FW snails are harmless and beneficial to have in the tank... i've also never heard of overpopulation incidents occuring inmarine tanks with snails with the possible exception of stomatellas.

[Grins]

Even with stomatellas it waxes and wanes. In marine tanks most are buying new snails, not working how to get rid of them.

[corinna]

I have found astrea rugosa the best snails for my tank. they seem to eat constantly and host some beautiful corraline algae

[mesia]

I have a sufficient clean up crew, but i have dead brown algea on my sand and nothing seems to eat it. What should i do?

the blue cheeked goby is instrumental at this. Mine keeps my sand sparkling with his continual sifting, i reckon he turns over the entire sand bed at least once a week !

[KEVBO]

red slime is cured by keeping a regular water change routine along with good water quality. I have been fighting it off for about 4 months and just this week got rid of it. I work at a tropical fish store and my manager is convienced it starts as a result of to much sunlight. Every tank in the front window of our store has red slime problems while the ones not in direct sunlight have no red slime. To get rid of the red slime in my tank i was told to do a 10 gallon water change for two days in a row
out of my 37 gallon tank. Be sure to use a turkey baster to blow off the red slime prior water change and gravel vaccuum the sand to take out your water. After defeating red slime be sure to keep a constant water change scheduale. This method worked on my tank i hope it works on yours. Good luck!