Tag: clean up crew
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12 Best Reef Safe Shrimp (2 that are not)
Saltwater shrimp are some of the most beautiful and graceful animals you can add to your reef tank. But not all species are reef safe or suitable for your tank. No need to research the individual species to find out. Check out this list of the 12 Best Reef Safe Shrimp. Read all the way…
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Serpent Starfish Care: Ophiuroidea
When people think of starfish, they call to mind the five-pointed echinoderms you learn to recognize as a kid. So you might overlook serpent starfish at first glance. These brightly colored members of the group trade in those “stubby” arms for long, snake-like limbs. It’s the perfect touch to a saltwater aquarium craving a unique touch.…
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Sea Hares: Facts, Eggs, Ink, and Care
If you’re looking for a challenging, unusual invertebrate to add to your tank, take a look at the sea hares. Due to the possible toxins these sea hares can release and their specific care requirements, the species are considered difficult to keep. It’s recommended that only expert-level hobbyists attempt to take on these sea slugs.…
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23 Interesting clean-up crew invertebrates that eat algae
We spend a lot of time, energy, and money in this hobby to create and maintain the proper aquarium conditions to keep our fish and corals happy. It just turns out that those conditions are also generally quite good at growing algae. Adding one or more of these interesting invertebrates for your clean-up crew that eat…
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The Bristle Worm: Your Ultimate Guide to This Pest
If you have ever seen a bristle worm in your reef tank, you probably agree they can be ugly little creatures. I’m pretty sure we’re genetically programmed to get creeped out by millipede-like invertebrates. And once you start looking, you’ll find TONS of energy and discussion about this lowly polychaete in reef aquarium circles. The…
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Scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp care guide
While the name, Scarlet Skunk cleaner shrimp might sound like one of the smelliest and least interesting things you could add to your tank, I can assure you, there is nothing ordinary…or smelly…about them. It is by far the most popular of the aquarium cleaner shrimps, despite the unattractive name. I think the Scarlet Skunk…
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Nassarius snail
The nassarius snail, N. vibex, is a small member of the mollusk phylum and is a fairly common addition to the saltwater aquarium as part of the cleanup crew. They are amusing to watch. By day, they bury themselves in the sand, with just a tiny periscope-like piece of flesh left sticking out of the tank. What…
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Chocolate chip starfish: reef safe?
Chocolate chip starfish are quirky-cool and easy to identify, but are they reef safe? That’s the question I set out to answer with this blog post. Introduction So, what is a chocolate chip starfish, anyway? Here’s one, take a look: As you can see in the picture above, the chocolate chip starfish is a…
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Cerith Snails: MVP of the clean up crew
Looking to add another little critter to your clean-up-crew (CUC)? Maybe you could pick out a few cerith snails, the next time you head to your local fish store. Cerith snails are small, snaily scavengers with a pointy spiral shell. They only grow to be about 1 inch long and are well suited for small…
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Emerald crab
Emerald crab: a fine addition to any reef clean up crew The emerald crab, Mithraculus sculptus, is a quiet, shy, and fun to watch member of the reef clean up crew (CUC). As the name implies, the emerald crab is green–but unlike the name–this crab does not shine like a jewel. Rather, the crab is perfectly camouflaged to…
