how many snails/crabs?

freshbutsalty

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Feb 22, 2004
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We have a 100 gallon 48" - 24" - 24" how many snails/ crabs should we get for it? we have 67lbs. of live rock and 3 in. of sand. Also what other animals should we get to keep the tank clean and in tip top shape? thank you guys
 
What I've heard is for a tank that has been up and running for a bit you should have 1 snail and 1 hermit crab per gallon.

The tank probably should be up and running so that there is plenty of detritus to support that many creatures....guess it would be good to add them in several installments. I don't have 1 per gallon yet, and I'm having trouble with hair algae. I just ordered enough to get me up to the 1 per gallon mark, so I'll see how good that formula works.

Hope this helps a little
 
I'd get as wide of a variety as possible to. It will really help and some will establish breeding populaions in your tank.
hth
chris
 
I agree to get a mix. Some of my favorites:
Snails:
grazers: astrea, ceriths, strombus, trochus
sandbed: nassarius, fighting conchs

Crustaceans:
hermits: blue legs and scarlet reef
crabs: emerald and sally lightfoot (I don't trust these guys as much).
shrimp: peppermint (good for aiptasia and general scavenging)

In my tank, the astreas are the workhorses, supplemented by the ceriths and strombus. The hermits work over the rocks.
 
I started without 5 nassarius snails in the 65--never got around to adding more, because the engineer goby turns the sand a bit too well. Had to tear the tanks partially down 4-5 months after adding the nassarius, and discovered hundreds of them, throughout the system--some large enough to attract the attentions of the trigger.
 
snails

the nassarius snails are great for sand sifting.Like OG said they spend most of the time under the sand.when i turn off the tank lights and just have the moonlights on they come out of the sand to do their magic.I started with 6 of em now there are a few dozen.I pulled about a dozen out and put them in my refugium.
 
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