New Cleanup Crew LiveAquaria Build Your Own Reef Cleaner Package

In this episode I Give a quick overview of my new clean up crew.

[@opinionsandaholes7437]

I'm so glad this popped up on my feed! I much prefer the way you explain things, and voice, over other channels.

[@InappropriateReefer]

Big fan of your videos, you are a great presenter!

[@MileHighReefers]

+Inappropriate Reefer Thanks I really appreciate the comment.

[@anchor4346]

Got a lot of live rock out of florida back in the 90's. Had hundreds of the serpent stars.. did not see them often but when I did it was great. Blue, Pink Orange and green.. really fun

[@hanksaus7561]

I love hermits the most without a doubt, changing shells, fighting with one another, etc. me and my fiance are debating setting up a little 3 gallon hex solely with hermits lol.

[@stevelarcher9920]

I have had one of the same serpent stars for many years. I love it for the same reasons Jeff mentioned. Freaks people out when an arm emerges from the live rock. I am guessing that it is about 12-15 years old. Great investment!

[@UltraReefReseller]

Love your vids and channel! We are so lucky that we can harvest peppermint shrimp here in the Gulf of Mexico. I have about 10 in my tank and a few more in my sump, so much fun to watch and they are always spawning. So they are definitely my favorite. Also, over the years I found out that mixing hermits and snails was a bad idea cause the hermits always go around killing the snails for their shells. Even though they are no where close to fitting, it's like the hermits are "hey man, you can't have too many extra shells around!" LOL.

[@MileHighReefers]

That must be so nice, I would love to be able to wild harvest peppermint shrimp.

[@theapocilip]

Snowflake blenny is my favourite. He is always purched up on different corals just watching everything like a statue. And the colours he can change into are very interesting. He eats green alge like a lawnmower and even eats frozen food.

[@geoffcathcart7154]

I love the zombie snails how they come out of the sand when you go and feed the fish.

[@eventhorizon1258]

Subscribed!...I love the Peppermint Shrimp!

[@MileHighReefers]

Thanks! there great little shrimp.

[@Suntro]

Very cool marine animals and presentation

[@joshuadeleon1574]

I love serpent stars I have one and he’s my favorite but in general I love starfish I have a tank just dedicated to them

[@Renegade-Sam]

My favorite is the scarlet skunk shrimp its awesome to see fish let themselves be cleaned by the shrimp

[@sandershomestead2213]

Love the way the serpent star moves

[@reefgang1507]

Great video! Glad I stumbled across this!

[@billywires8477]

I love my tiger sand conch, such a work horse!

[@ericolsen9799]

I got an Arrow crab a few weeks ago and I am amazed at how much he eats. He moves all over the tank but likes the corners where detritus builds up .

[@MileHighReefers]

I've never had one, but they look so cool!

[@AquariumDays]

It was really cool cuc! Thank you for the video, I enjoyed it!

[@careygordon4670]

That is cool. I am starting my tank. I just started getting a small clean up crew. I will look it all up, so that I can get the right ones. Wish me luck.

[@MileHighReefers]

+Carey Gordon Good luck, I would suggest adding the cleanup crew slowly to the tank, since in the beginning there isn't a lot for them to eat.

[@careygordon4670]

Thanks I understand. What should I start with to begin the tank itself?

[@DillSoupDF]

I like all of them a lot but the serpent star is my favorite

[@MileHighReefers]

I too love the serpent stars.

[@pinkyfilters]

What is most important part of clean up?

[@Mr.Glitch]

That's an awesome upgrade to the crew!! I love my cleaner shrimp and nassarius snails, especially the shrimp though. Always nice to get a free manicure when i put my hands in the tank. I'd love some urchins and starfish, but it's only a 60L tank, so not much space for them.

[@MileHighReefers]

+The Glitch Thanks, cleaner shrimp are great mine often surprises me when i'm working in the tank.

[@DtotheG92]

Class video but how did the crab lose of its limbs?

[@rhettherring4846]

Emerald Crab is my favorite... non-stop worker. I like the Hermits also.

[@MileHighReefers]

They do great.

[@thecaptain2325]

I like Starfish and Hermit Crabs because 1 Starfish are really cool to me and 2 Hermit Crabs are very versatile at cleaning

[@calamari.jaksun8914]

I wish the dark-colored porcelain crabs were available in my local fish stores, they only have the usual white and pink variety...

[@RogueAquariums]

Nice clean up crew Scott. I personally like the sea serpent starfish. I like the patterns on them & they seem to be very active.

[@MileHighReefers]

+NW Marine62 I really like the patterning on the new stars.

[@noahrivera6854]

I like your clean up crew 👍🏻👌🏻😎

[@MileHighReefers]

Thanks!

[@MichaelHolmgaard]

Hard to pick a fave, but In regards to snails, I've always preferred trochus snails, because of their ability to turn themselves over if they fall down on their shelf. Also, they are among the few snails who can breed in an aquarium :)

[@shauneaton23]

great video Scott, you can never have enough clean up crew and I think they are often overlooked to how important they are. Love the little hermits by the way😀

[@MileHighReefers]

+shaun eaton The great ting about a reef tank is the amount of life you can have. The clean up crew is another exciting addition and there actually beneficial to the system.

[@unkeldave7824]

I bought a couple of stars; one serpent and one "brittle". The serpent has become more outgoing but the brittle stays in the rockwork more. It's funny to see arms sticking out from different sides of a rock where it's found a hding place with multiple chambers and tunnels. As a bonus I've discovered a couple of brittle stars (really little, like a quarter or nickel overall) that cane as hitchhikers. One that has come out to the sandbed has 6 legs/arms!

[@unkeldave7824]

I also bought a fairly large "Halloween" hermit. He's large enough that he doesn't get into the small places well but he's definitely a hard worker and fun to watch pick at each sand grain.

[@MileHighReefers]

My brittles also stay under the rocks. The little brittles are great they reproduce in the tank, eventually there will be hundreds.

[@915Mang]

Wow man, those blue hermits are so tiny. The star fish are pretty nice man, nice update

[@MileHighReefers]

+915Mang It said they where tiny in the description but they where cheap so I got what I paid for. I've bought these before and the grow fairly quickly. I'm really happy with the star fish they sent.

[@PremiumK9Krunchies]

starfish is def. my favorite.

[@pelphrey]

Nice pickup!

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

That's abreast idea best Ive heard yet

[@ChrisAquatics]

What an awesome video! Could you do a quick run down on what process you have found to be easiest and most effective at acclimating your clean up crew members if you have the time? Definitely subbed. Keep up the great work!

[@thewhitematstudio]

Any details on the vacuum you are using? Is it simply a filter in between to catch detritus and allow the water to pass through?

[@JRenee141]

those teeny tiny hermit crabs are so cool! but they're hermit crabs, don't they need to change shells as they grow? do you add shells to your tank for them? where'd you even find tiny enough shells for them if you wanted to give them extras? LOL I'm so curious.

[@MileHighReefers]

They're great. There should be plenty of shells in the tank from the clean up crew members that have died over the years. On the newer nano tanks we did at some shells for the hermit crabs.

[@jackcarey4752]

The starfish was the coolest because it has a very unique ability to new win it was feeding time if I got a saltwater tank I would definitely get type of starfish

[@MileHighReefers]

The serpent stars are my favorites too.

[@things4yougaming723]

Diamond watchman goby. And the sand shifting star ⭐️ fish are the best. For cleaning your tank. N the cleaner shrimp skunk or two line. The nassi snails only sleep n come out at feeding time lol bumble bee snail just chills n never leaves lol 😂

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

The best lol looks like I've already dosed myself haha

[@ROTTERtube]

great video. serpent stars freak me out. i think it's because i hate octopus / octopi, whatever. did you QT your cleanup crew?

[@MileHighReefers]

+ROTTER tube Reef What a weird phobia. I love the serpent stars. I didn't QT the clean up crew so yes there is a risk they brought something in. I feel this risk is very low but there is still a risk.

[@supersans9041]

Rotter Tube Reef octopedes

[@cademerante4570]

octipusses

[@clorbach2450]

Rotter Tube Reef octopus isn’t of latin descent but of Greek descent so it would octopuses not octopi.

[@CJSAQUARIUMS]

Have been shopping around.. Looks like u got quality additions... I was surprised how much these cost id be never out about arriving DOA... How many did U notice didn't make it? U have unleashed a army on your monti lol.. Good luck man... 👍🏾

[@MileHighReefers]

+CJ'S AQUARIUMS No DOAs that I could see. Everything came in really healthy. unfortunately clean up crew aren't cheap That's why its been 2 years since I last added a clean up crew. It's my mini monti army.

[@abdullahabraham4483]

Does those hermit crabs get bigger if then you need to provide more shells for them?

[@dianaop9880]

The starfish reminds me of spiders. So creepy D:

[@owenmason6690]

b careful I have a serpent star and he ate my watchmen goby

[@MileHighReefers]

So far he hasn't eating any fish. Fingers crossed.

[@viviplayzroblox3584]

Owen Mason gfbgngn

[@herper6]

Was it a green serpent? I have heard they are the only ones that will do that.

[@jakeblakesley1765]

Owen Mason, only green ones do that.

[@marjig8779]

you look like the bus driver on The Simpsons

[@noahrivera6854]

I like all of them

[@joseCalderon1976]

Nice video bud

[@MileHighReefers]

Thanks.

[@bigseanSM]

love my Mexican turbo snails but after this video I may just invest in a serpent star 👍

[@MileHighReefers]

+bigseanSM I love the serpent stars there awesome!

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

Ok thank you will try vodka thanks for your help

[@MileHighReefers]

+Lee and Mandy Battersby If you find this hobby is getting a little stressful try dosing yourself with the vodka, I do.

[@lawiez]

my fav is my bicolor blenny first fish in the tank, gave my brown diatom rocks white polka dots =)

[@MileHighReefers]

They are really cool fish. I need a new blenny I might have to pick one up.

[@matthewwagner4042]

Bumblebee snails are NOT going to eat algae. They are carnivores, but may help with detritus... They can go after other snails if hungry, worms as well.

[@karennation3580]

I have to agree with the people that think serpants are creepy , like spiders. How many clean up crew would be good for a 10 gallon nano? Dont want to over due it. I was thinking a cleaner, maybe a hermit and emerald and one or two snails but now I am afraid the hermits will kill my snails for their shells, so should I just buy xtra shells for them I assume that are empty?

[@carlavaneeden8383]

You said your previous crab went missing when the clowns moved in, any idea what happened to it?

[@davesaquarium4825]

Do you work in radio? Your personality is good for it. The markiplier of reefing

[@MileHighReefers]

No, I wish I did it sounds like a really cool job.

[@JohnJohn-hv4ef]

I didn't know you can find mini hermit crabs. They're so adorable. I also thought serpent starfish were predators and not reef safe.

[@MileHighReefers]

+John John It said they where tiny in the description but they where cheap so I got what I paid for. I've bought these before and the grow fairly quickly. When serpent stars get really big, bigger than a foot across the odd rouge star has taken down a small fish. I tend to hear about this happening mainly with the green serpents.

[@GENISIS1TWENTYONE]

Been beefing up my CUC as well lately

[@MileHighReefers]

+GENISIS1TWENTYONE Nice, you defiantly have to keep up with that over time.

[@JaesadaSrisuk]

Question: isn't that a huge amount amount of hermit crabs? You'd think that that many crabs in even a very large tank would strip it of detritus and they would end-up starving.

[@MileHighReefers]

There tinny and have a fairly high mortality rate. it isn't really a problem. If' I went for the big guys that could defiantly be an issue.

[@manaia121]

My favorite clean up crew would have to be the electric blue hermits. Also, I have a gigantic snail that I love, I think it's a turbo. I also have a question for you, what kind of anemone (and sea stars actually) can I keep in a 13 gallon nano tank? I'm looking at resurrecting mine and have always wanted an anemone and a sea star.

[@MileHighReefers]

I have a small serpent star in my 5 gal and it does really welland a mini maxi carpet anemone would be perfect for that tank.

[@bunnybuns6638]

always get a white anemone or white coral

[@mikeramos8914]

Awesome video. I have a question... Do the sea urchins require anything special to keep them alive, or will what they eat in the tank be good enough?

[@MileHighReefers]

+Mike Ramos Nope, as long as there is a little bit of alga in the tank for it to feed on they will be fine. Everyone I've ever had has been really hardy.

[@ssandok]

Hey nice video. I'm not sure I understand when you talk about having a vacuum that doesn't use as much water as a siphon. How does that work?

[@MileHighReefers]

+Scott Sandok Its a mod on the Rotter Tube made by Steve Rotter at Rotter Tube Reef kzbin.info/www/bejne/noW1fqFvh9l-fas

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

I have 7 hermit crabs in my 40 gallon and 3 nasarius snails 1 sand sifting starfish is there anything else I could put in or more of what I already have it is a coral tank with shrimps so anything what would be ok with them thanks and great video once again

[@MileHighReefers]

+Lee and Mandy Battersby I would defiantly recommend some urchins and a serpent or brittle star. More snails never hurt.

[@maryeurich3190]

What kind of coral/polyp is that in the right hand corner at 8:12 ? I have one that is attached to a hermit crab I have in my 30 gal tank, and it appears to be dying, please help! (Tentacles wont come out anymore, doesn't open up, starting to sag)

[@jhickox]

I thought those were Emerald crabs.

[@vbogstandard572]

Every time you vacuumed the frag tank the crabs would get sucked out hahahah you down hoover the frag tank it was horrible

[@ericolsen9799]

did you mix anything with the Urchins in your tank water? or did you just kind of spray them off with a baster? Great video as always

[@MileHighReefers]

+eric olsen No I just rinsed them in a separate bowel of tank water.

[@meza76522]

My favorite cuc is a tie between my trochus snails (they eat cyano) and my cerith snails (they dig in the substrate and eat just about anything)

[@MileHighReefers]

Trochus snails are defiantly some of the best out there.

[@bunnybuns6638]

one of the green crabs has a claw missing

[@bwtegu7135]

Where did u get that water vacumn i would love to get one

[@MileHighReefers]

+B&W tegu Its a Rotter Tube from RotterTube.com modified to work as a vacuum. I did a video on it a while back. kzbin.info/www/bejne/noW1fqFvh9l-fas

[@bwtegu7135]

+MileHighReefers alright thank you so much your tank is beatiful! I just set up my own big tank yesterday its a acrylic 220 gal

[@JPU89]

Do the urchins eat corals? I have a 24G NanoCube with a few frags of zoa. Do you think I'll be ok buying a small urchin?

[@MileHighReefers]

There isn't much risk of urchins eating corals. I really like them for algae removal. You should be fine wit one in your tank.

[@rosedonnapur]

whot vax are you useing

[@xanderphipps181]

Do you know any freshwater shrimp that clean good, look good, and are a decent price?

[@MileHighReefers]

I hate to say it i'm not much help with this question. I really don't know much about freshwater. Happy reefing thanks for watching.

[@xanderphipps181]

+MileHighReefers thanks

[@IPlayUltimateFrisbee]

Red sherry shrimp and amano shrimp are cheap and nice to look at and they will clean up a small amount of algae on plants and stuff, but if you want to go with something that cleans your glass and backgrounds you should consider getting nerite snails, they won't breed and will clean up nicely, ramshorn snails will work too but they will breed and take over your tank if you don't remove their eggs. Lastly you could also get a bristlenose pleco, they don't get too big and clean up nicely aswell.

[@xanderphipps181]

+IPlayUltimateFrisbee thanks I've decided on japonica amino shrimp, wild ghost shrimp I catch, Rio negro plecos, and possibly nerite snails for a fusture tank I'm thinking through

[@IPlayUltimateFrisbee]

Xander Phipps sounds like a good clean up crew, hope it works for you

[@kurt7911]

Making me miss my long hair

[@teedawg2386]

Where do you get your "rotter tube?"

[@LittleXxx650]

How do you acclimate the star fish in detail?

[@MileHighReefers]

+LittleXxx650 This one kind of needs its own video. Ideally you would do a very slow drip acclimation. Like the container the star fish is in to be in the sump so it maintains tank temp. I didn't go this rout I put the container in the sump with the star fish for a hour and let it temp acclimate. After an hour I started adding a shot glass of water every 10 min or so. I did this for about hours.

[@ChaosGeneral1]

What would you recomend for a bar bottom tank?

[@MileHighReefers]

+ChaosGeneral1 Most snails urchins and hermit carbs will do fine with a bare bottom.

[@Tbobization]

Can serpent starfish live in 25 gallon reef tank? I want to have urchin or starfish in my 25 gallon reef tank and am wondering what urchin or starfish eat detritus and algae?

[@MileHighReefers]

A small serpent should be fine in a 25g tank. I have had a little on in my 5g for six months and its doing well. As far as I know all th urchins in the hobby will eat algae. I like sand sifter because they stir the sand and serpents and brittle stars eat detritus.

[@Tbobization]

Do sand sifter eat detritus?

[@troutmaskreplica5812]

What's good for a 10 gal mantis shrimp tank

[@MileHighReefers]

That's an interesting question. I've never kept one and they seem like vey opportunistic feeders.

[@willd5377]

I kinda want to buy a urchin just for looks then just feed it algae

[@amccann99]

I'm all for acclimation, but I think you also cause plenty of stress just by taking so long to acclimate. I'm guilty of literally zero acclimation time, especially with cleanup crew, never had any adverse effects whatsoever.

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

I dont have a sump so could i still use a reactor and how would i set that up thanks

[@MileHighReefers]

+Lee and Mandy Battersby Without a sump bio pellets maybe kind of difficult to implement. Do you have a skimmer? If you do, you might want to try vodka dosing you could start dosing by hand and see how it goes. You could also buy a dosing pump and timer and start the process that way. Otherwise your kind of stuck with big water changes.

[@azotro]

Emerald crabssss

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

Please help asap just done my water tests and my nitrate is at 160 what can I do will a water change be enough it's 40 gallon please please help

[@MileHighReefers]

+Lee and Mandy Battersby Your on the right track with the water changes. I swear by bio pellets to remove nitrates. I would find a good bio pellet reactor and add it to the system. it'll take some time but my reactor keeps my nitrates at undetectable levels.

[@darkeyedpopplio9427]

What's the smallest serpent star you can get?

[@MileHighReefers]

You can buy some that are pretty small, but as far as I know they all get pretty big.

[@becks.7526]

Defenently serpent star

[@MileHighReefers]

They are awesome!

[@leeandmandybattersby5958]

Would urchins be ok with my fish and corals

[@MileHighReefers]

+Lee and Mandy Battersby Urchins will be fine with any corals. Some non reef safe fish will attack them. Is long as you have reef safe fish you will be fine.

[@matthewwagner4042]

Love my urchins... Never thought much of them until I got 1... and it was one of the best purchases I've ever made. It has such personality. It's constantly wearing different things, his tentacles are all over the place, always fun to watch and see what's new with it. Now I have 2 different species and they both are great!

[@sydneyheim3318]

Will the urchins attack your fish?

[@MileHighReefers]

Urchins wont harm the fish they feed primarily on algae. There a great addition to the clean up crew.

[@sydneyheim3318]

MileHighReefers okay thanks! Ive always had a grudge on urchins because I stepped on one when I was snorkeling 😂😂

[@xanderphipps181]

Will an urchin get hurt by an anemone, and could one hurt an anemone

[@MileHighReefers]

Urchins and anemones do pretty well together. I have never had a problem with one hurting the other.

[@mrcow51]

I would have a favorite CUC member, matter of fact a CUC at all, if weren't for my green bird wrasse :/

[@MileHighReefers]

+mrcow51 Will the bird wrasse mess with the short spine urchins?

[@mrcow51]

i dont know becuase i havent tried, but ive read that bird wrasses eat every invert if they can, urchins probably may be the exeptions, but i can always put filter feeders in my fuge MileHighReefers

[@riamarierosasena9808]

He talks as if he's blind. He's not looking into the camera. 😂

[@MJ-eo1wd]

Why so many hermit crabs, they're probably gonna destroy your snails

[@sudeshawale3754]

you shold add a pleco to your clean up srew

[@bunnybuns6638]

Sudesh Awale its reef plecos are freshwater

[@McCurnA]

How big is your main tank?

[@MileHighReefers]

210 gallons

[@bunnybuns6638]

the serpent stars look ugly though but are very cool

[@afa13829]

You're name is a double entendre isn't it 😂

[@MileHighReefers]

It is. I really like the name of the channel.

[@joelsalagoste1070]

Clown fish blue tang reefer

[@muffemod]

0:14 skip intro

[@maxxiang8746]

Octophobia

[@janethlopez3345]

J💰💨💨🌨🍌

[@the1000expert]

You obviously are reading everything. Loosen up dude. Your not being graded. : )

[@MileHighReefers]

Believe it or not I don't script any of this. I get lots of people telling me to use a script and others telling me I'm to scripted. I try to find a happy median.