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dingo

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Jun 14, 2004
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This is the list i came up with for stocking a 55 gal. Aquarium does it look ok.

15 SCARLETT HERMITS
5 BLUE LEG HERMITS
10 CERITH SNAILS
10 NASSARIUS SNAILS
8 MARGARITA SNAILS
2 TURBO SNAILS
5 ASTREA SNAILS
2 SKUNK CLEANER SHRIMP
2 BLOOD RED SHRIMP
1 BRITTLE OR 1 SAND SIFTING SEA STAR OR 1 TIGER TAIL CUCUMBER which one?

Too much? not enough?
Any suggestion on changes would be appreciated.
 
It depends on your lights, but you may not need that many cleaners if you don't have 250+ watts of light.

I'd remove the blue legs, personally, unless you are very attached to them. They'll probably just pick fights with the scarlets, who are more peaceful. Make sure to get extra shells for any hermits. You can get them from craft stores as well as pet stores.

Go with the brittle star or a serpent star, IMO. Make sure it is not a green brittle star. Sand sifting stars require 100 gallons and I'm not one to favor cucumbers over brittle stars.

Margarita snails are often actually temperate snails that can live maybe a year in a tropical tank, then die. If you think they are actually tropical, I've heard good things about them, but basically the same as astreas.

My 45 gallon has 9 scarlet hermits, 14 ceriths, 10 nassarius, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 emerald crab, 1 mexican turbo snail, and a variety of hitchhikers including at least 3 micro-brittle stars plus baby snails. They are keeping up with the algae generated by 192 watts of PC light, but I haven't added fish yet. I also have a ton of macro-algae growth including a corraline explosion across the majority of my rocks.
 
As of now the tank is still cycling and the lighting on it, is the strip that came with the tank with a 50/50 flourescent bulb in it. I do however plan on upgrading to 4X65 PC lightning for keeping corals in a about 6 months.

So should i simplify?
15 SCARLETT HERMITS
15 CERITH SNAILS
15 NASSARIUS SNAIL
2 TURBO SNAILS
2 SCARLETT CLEANER SHRIMP
2 BLOOD RED SHRIMP
1 BRITTLE OR SEA SERPENT STAR

Will i have a problem with the 2 different shrimps in the same tank, was not real sure so just asking. Thanks
 
Haven't mixed bloods and cleaners, but I have done peppermints and cleaner shrimp together without a problem. The blood shrimp tend to hang out in more concealed areas, while the cleaners are more exposed, so they should probably get along just fine.

I would put some astreas back on the menu. They're hard workers, although the turbos are real powerhouses. Otherwise, I like your selection a lot.
 
Yep,

I wanted astreas, but the place where I bought my package was out of them, so I'll get them when I get fish. To clarify my earlier comment, in case it was confusing: astreas and margaritas are very similar, but many margaritas are temperate and die in tropical setups after a while.

I'd keep the total hermits, astreas, ceriths, and nassarius to about 45-50, but mix them up with the following in mind: All but the nassarius probably prefer rock to sand. Nassarius don't like eating algae. Astreas usually try to avoid sand altogether, while the others will scavenge on it. Astreas and ceriths don't eat detritus. Hermits are more versatile, but don't clean smaller stuff as efficiently. Astreas and ceriths both clean glass, but astreas are better at it, IMO.

I originally ordered 10 hermits, 15 ceriths and 15 nassarius. 1 hermit turned out to be the wrong species. 1 cerith wasn't delivered. 5 nassarius died in or immediately after transit. Lesson: assume a few of your ordered critters may not make it. Also, my turbo eats more algae than any five of my other snails. It's like a vacuum/sandpaper that wipes rock clean, leaving only corraline.
 
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