20g cleanup crew

[pitbullpooch]

hi i was wondering what i should get for a cleanup crew for my tank when i start it.also im gonna add 30 pounds lr how long should i wait to add the crew to the tank and since the tank is gonna just starting do i need to add some kinda food to help the cycle or to feed anything live in the rock thanks alot.

[pitbullpooch]

pleaaaaaase help

[CRG]

There are many options for a clean-up crew, but first you need to let your tank complete its cycle before adding anything. I think that you would benefit greatly from reading the articles that Chris has posted; they can reached from the main page.

 

Remember, this is not a race. Take things slowly and you'll be better off in the long run.

[pitbullpooch]

thanks that helps alot im gonna take it slow .mainly due to money but i also wanna do it right and not mess my tank up.

[Joe_fro]

Try searching for clean up crew threads im sure there are a few. Anywho, ive got a ten gallon with 4 Astrea snails, 4 blue leg hermits and they seem to do a great job. The snails especially. But ya take CRG's advice take things slow and dont rush things. it's definitely hard to be patient when setting up a new tank. oh and read, read, read.

joe

[Joe_fro]

oh ya and a peppermint shrimp i like him a lot, but i heard that they on occasion eat corals. i have xenia and a frogspawn and no signs of harassment yet. or from any of my cleaning crew for that matter. hope this helps a little.

[Brianc_4]

I also have a twenty gallon and can tell you what I stock for a clean up crew.2 ceriths, 3 nassaus, 1 conch(small), 6 astreas, 1 red hermit, 1 tiny emerald crab(if you decide on this keep your eye on him, sometimes they munch polyps sometimes they don't) and 3 bumblebee snails.

Don't add your clean up crew until your tank starts to develop some algae, or they will starve. Don't add them all at once. Add them slowly to see what your tank needs, if you add them all at once in about a month when they are eating more algae and asstd crap than you r tank can produce they will starve.

When picking your clean up crew think diversity. They all do not behave the same or have the same diet. Some for the rocks and glass(ie. astreas) some for the sand and rocks(ceriths), some that burrow in the sand(nassaus), some that eat crap and detritus(i.e. any of the previous three), some cyano lickers(ie. queen or fighting conchs), some that burst bubbles(emerald crab), and some that do absolutely nothing but look pretty(scarlet hermit and bumblebee snails). Hope this helps good luck;)

[pitbullpooch]

thanks alot that helps out