Note From Penny: Cleanup critters are an absolutely
necessary part of a healthy reef system...BUT...I never advocate buying them
to "correct a problem". If your tank has just cycled it's normal to
have a bloom of algae and your cleanup crew should take care of it.
BUT...if your tank has the recommended number of each top 3 cleaners & you
struggle with nuisance algae, cyano etc. then I highly recommend looking for
the source of the problem, correct it & let your cleanup crew maintain
things from there. Check out my "Self
Help" section to help identify problems.
Below are reef safe cleaners with the top 3 being
the most helpful to our reef tanks.
Recommended per tank:
1 per gallon of tank
Example: 75g tank = 75 Astreas
This is a "rule of thumb", not an exact science. Add to your
population as you can until you reach
& maintain this
approximate number.
Of all cleaners, this is
a "Should Have" in any reef tank.
# 1 Clean Up Crew!
Astrea snails are fantastic algae eaters being quite at home on your
rock or glass. They are slower yet more thorough cleaners allowing
coraline to take over where they've been. Other "turbo" type
snails aren't as thorough & can topple corals & rocks when larger. Only
downside to Astreas is that they can't right themselves when toppled
upside down. You must intervene...& they'll go on their merry way.
:0)
Recommended per tank:
1 per gallon of tank
Example: 75g tank = 75 Nassarius
This is a "rule of thumb", not an exact science. Add to your
population as you can until you reach
& maintain this approximate
number.
Of all cleaners, this is
a "Should Have" in any reef tank.
# 2 Clean Up Crew! Troublesome hermits crabs are not needed when
you employ these totally harmless guys! Fantastic scavengers! They
eat detritus, uneaten fish food & waste and burrow in the top 1 inch of
your substrate keeping it loose & clean. They will "Pop" out of the sand
when you feed!
Not quite as large or pretty as their larger cousin Nassarius below but
nonetheless does a great job at cleaning and stirring the sand. These
reach a maximum size of about 3/4". Recommended per tank:
1 per 5 gallon of tank
Example: 75g tank = 15 Tonga Nassarius
This is a "rule of thumb", not an exact science. Add to your
population as you can until you reach
& maintain this approximate
number.
Of all cleaners, this is
a "Should Have" in any reef tank.
Clean Up Crew! Troublesome hermits crabs are not needed when
you employ these totally harmless guys! Fantastic scavengers! They
eat detritus, uneaten fish food & waste and burrow in the top 1 inch of
your substrate keeping it loose & clean. They will "Pop" out of the sand
when you feed!
Larger than
standard Nassarius these beauties reach a maximum size of about 1 inch. Recommended per tank:
1 per 5 gallon of tank
Example: 75g tank = 15 Tonga Nassarius
This is a "rule of thumb", not an exact science. Add to your
population as you can until you reach
& maintain this approximate
number.
Of all cleaners, this is
a "Should Have" in any reef tank.
Clean Up Crew! Troublesome hermits crabs are not needed when
you employ these totally harmless guys! Fantastic scavengers! They
eat detritus, uneaten fish food & waste and burrow in the top 1 inch of
your substrate keeping it loose & clean. They will "Pop" out of the sand
when you feed!
Recommended per tank:
1 per gallon
of tank
Example: 75g tank = 75
Cerith
This is a "rule of thumb", not an exact science. Add to your
population as you can until you reach & maintain this approximate
number.
# 3 Clean Up Crew! These snails spend most of their time
cleaning the top grains of your sand bed in search of uneaten food or
algae. They sleep in the top inch of your sand bed. This burrowing
action helps to keep the sand bed moving and supple (needed for gas
exchange). These are excellent for keeping the substrate clean of
uneaten food, decaying matter, algae.....even cyano!
Recommended per tank:
2 up to 3 Ft tank
3-4 up to 4 Ft tank
4-6 up to 6 Ft tank
Having more than one in a tank gives you a chance of having cucumber
babies! :c)
Clean Up Crew!
Sand Sifting
Cucumbers are fantastic top sand cleaners (they do not bury).
They physically eat sand grains & produce clean sand waste. They will travel next to the
base of your rocks targeting areas where detritus collect. Don't
be alarmed if you don't see much of them as they prefer the nooks &
cranny areas of your rock work! May come in different colors
Recommended per tank:
1 /3 Ft - 2 /4 Ft - 3+ /6 Ft
Clean Up Crew! The only CRAB I
sell for a main tank! Great scavengers. Known to eat hair &
bubble algae.
Completely reef safe.
Recommended per tank:
1 /3 Ft - 2 /4 Ft - 3+ /6 Ft
Clean Up Crew! Same as the
Emerald but more rare!
Completely reef safe.
The Inverts offered below should be purchased
if you have fish in your tank as they rely on leftover fish foods & fish
waste.
A must have for reefs with
fish. They clean Ick parasites off fish and are great scavenger as
well. Kept in multiples they will bear & release eggs creating a
feeding treat for tankmates!
A must have for reefs with fish. They clean Ick
parasites off fish and are great scavenger as well. Kept in
multiples they will bear & release eggs creating a feeding treat for
tankmates! Buy when you have fish as they depend on leftover fish foods & fish
waste.
Be careful!!
There is another species of shrimp that looks identical to this
one & I don't consider it reef safe! Be sure the one you get is a
true Lysmata wurdemanni
Lysmata wurdemanni
"The TRUE Peppermint"
A great scavenger and Aptasia eater (if not fed fish food). Kept in multiples, females will
release eggs creating a feeding treat for tankmates! Buy when you have fish as they depend on leftover fish foods & fish
waste.
Approx. 1.5 inches
Tiger
Pistol Shrimp
Alpheus bellulus
Love to be paired with
Gobies such as the Watchmans, Yashia and more!
Lettuce Nudibranch
Completely reef safe.
Does best in established reef tanks. Feeds on diatom & hair algae.
Having more than one in a tank gives you a chance of having
babies! :c)
Sample Pic to show
you what a Feather Starfish looks like - fancy colors are Lavendar,
light Yellow/Gold
Fancy Colored Feather Starfish
Completely reef safe.
Does best in established reef tanks.
This stunning & rare animal is a beautiful addition to a reef tank!
Purple Linkia Starfish
RARE!
Completely reef safe.
Does best in established reef tanks.
Blue Linkia Starfish
Completely reef safe.
Does best in established reef tanks.
Unlike other starfish
families the Linkia is known for staying out where we can see them!
Beautiful addition to a reef tank!
Burgundy Red Linkia Starfish
Completely reef safe.
Does best in established reef tanks.
Orange Linkia Starfish
Completely reef safe.
Does best in established reef tanks.
Serpent Starfish
Great
scavenger & cleanup crew
.Each anemone is a unique animal. Expect some color variation
as different lighting and how inflated or deflated will affect how
they "look".
Normally arrives mostly closed but will open upon acclimation to your
tank. Size is based on their "foot" dimension yet the
body will
expand many times larger
depending on mood & tank conditions.
Feed once or twice a week with PE Mysis shrimp. Note: it is
common for these anemones to "deflate" when digesting a meal.
Bubble Tip Anemones
Entacmaea quadricolor
All clownfish species are
known to go to this anemone! It is the only species I will sell
due to the high mortality rate of others. The BTA readily makes
babies of itself and is the least aggressive & most reef safe of all
species.
Bury it's foot in the sand
in a low to med flow area.
Photosynthetic & filter
feeder. Storm the tank once or twice a week.
No direct feeding necessary!
Feather Sea Pen
Only 1 avail!!
Bury it's foot in the sand
in a low to med flow area.
Photosynthetic & filter
feeder. Storm the tank once or twice a week.
No direct feeding necessary!
Livestock Orders - Get
50% OFF FedEx Overnight
Shipping! *Arrive Alive Guarantee! More info...
Dry Goods Ship Via FedEx Ground & UPS! More info...
To get a shipping quote - select items, click "View Cart/Checkout" & you can
see what your ship cost is with no commitment!
See our
Recycling Center in Fairfield!
For Service & Pricing Call 872-8257
Shop
Livestock
