FOWLR Clean Up Crew

[cbramsey]

so my 90g tank finally finished it's cycle last week. We went and got a couple of clownfish (because my kids had to have nemo). I need suggestions for a clean up crew. I don't want anything that will eat or attack the clowns, but we love the looks of the little shrimps. Any suggestions, I don't mind snails, I just don't want them to make hundreds more snails.

I am new to this so any and all info is much appreciated.

 

[manny mandarin]

Ditch the snail idea they poo and poo and poo. Hermits are the boys for me along with a peppermint shrimp to eat any aptasia (these are little whitey coloured anemone that just seem to pop up nasty things) but emerald crabs are amazing algae eaters all of these are peaceful and quite cool to watch hope this helps

 

[cbramsey]

Thanks Manny, what about the bright red shrimp (I can't remember their name)? How far apart should I space adding these, are they like the fish where I typically get 1-2 then wait a couple weeks to add more?

 

[manny mandarin]

I think the shrimp your talking about is a fire shrimp never had them but i know they like meaty foods, hermits are hard as nails normally and have very low waste imput to a tank so i wouldnt worry too much about spacing it out too much same with emerald crabs

 

[cbramsey]

With a 90g tank, how many should I have? I have seen some posts that say 1 per gallon which seems like a lot to me.

 

[manny mandarin]

Because they have such little waste output the more the merrier as long as you get some extra shells for when they grow and swap and change one per gallon sounds about right I'd only get two emeralds though else they might have disagreements

 

[LetItReef]

How about Conch.

 

[manny mandarin]

Again never kept a conch i was always told snails poo more than they clean

 

[Ann_Paden]

I have a love/ hate relationship with hermits. They always steal food out off my acans mouths when they're feeding. I've had to sump several of them lol.

 

[manny mandarin]

I have the same problem with cleaner shrimps the little bullies

 

[Harold Green]

There are multiple varieties of snails that can each do a different job of keeping the tank clean. Never heard the reference to snails being dirty. I generally keep several hundred in my tanks. They reduce the algae on the glass and rocks, some burrow in the sand bed keeping it turned and forage on food that falls uneaten.