Clean up Crew/ Cleaner Shrimp

[Hardesty2]

Hey y'all i'm cycling a new 20 gallon tank and in a few days I'll be ready to add my clean up crew, (hermit crabs, snails, etc.) and i know i want to add a fire shrimp or a cleaner shrimp in the tank as well. Should i add that in with the cleanup crew or wait until it's fully cycled? the plan is to eventually add a pair of clownfish. thanks!

 

[kvansloo]

Wait, till you start seeing algae on the Clean up crew.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Hey y'all i'm cycling a new 20 gallon tank and in a few days I'll be ready to add my clean up crew, (hermit crabs, snails, etc.) and i know i want to add a fire shrimp or a cleaner shrimp in the tank as well. Should i add that in with the cleanup crew or wait until it's fully cycled? the plan is to eventually add a pair of clownfish. thanks!

Keep in mind invertebrates are much more sensitive than fish don’t add any until the cycle is complete . Also add clean up crew gradually as you see algae otherwise they will run out of food and starve. Start with a Trochus snail or two. Also reconsider whether you really want hermit crabs they are not as efficient as snails and will occasionally kill them for shells. I would add the cleaner shrimp with the fish so it has some fish to clean.

 

[Rjukan]

Wait, till you start seeing algae on the Clean up crew.

This is good advice

 

[Hardesty2]

Wait, till you start seeing algae on the Clean up crew.

i'm starting to see some on the rock

 

[BristleWormHater]

i'm starting to see some on the rock

Is the cycle done or not?

 

[Hardesty2]

Keep in mind invertebrates are much more sensitive than fish don’t add any until the cycle is complete . Also add clean up crew gradually as you see algae otherwise they will run out of food and starve. Start with a Trochus snail or two. Also reconsider whether you really want hermit crabs they are not as efficient as snails and will occasionally kill them for shells. I would add the cleaner shrimp with the fish so it has some fish to clean.

thank you, i'm new at all this so i appreciate the advice!

 

[Hardesty2]

Is the cycle done or not?

no, i was told by my local fish store that i should add them next week.

 

[Hardesty2]

Is the cycle done or not?

my tank levels are stable though, my nitride nitrate and ammonia levels are already stable. the only thing that's off currently is my phosphate, trying to figure out how to get that down

 

[Rjukan]

my tank levels are stable though, my nitride nitrate and ammonia levels are already stable. the only thing that's off currently is my phosphate, trying to figure out how to get that down

You don't need to worry about phos. And you should list the actual values of your tests, not that they are stable.

When did you start up the tank? How are you cycling it?