When should i add in a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp?in my saltwater tank...?

Question

I am going to start a saltwater tank (20 gallon or so) and i have read a lot that i need to cycle it for about 6 weeks, im going to have 20 or so pounds of live sand and maybe a rock or two....then a filter and heater and lighting. can i put in the shrimp before the 6week mark to clean up some things? or wait till the 6 week mark?

also what do i need to feed the shrimp if there isnt enogh algea to eat?

and how much lighting does it need? i am eventually going to add a blue damsel ... so something that works well with it too...for the lighting..

also when can i add some polyps? do they need any food? and what lighting for them aswell?

thansk soo much!!

Answer 1

add the shrimp AFTER the tank is cycled, all inverts are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite

as said they don't eat algea and will pick off any leftover food

the shrimp? none. nor will the fish

after cycling, usually not the lighting is generally enough, at least PC lighting, T5 is better and halide is better still

Answer 2

Hi congratulations on starting your salt water aquarium sounds you have put a lot of thought in it.

Cleaner shrimps are cool but they generally do not eat algae but they will eat food left over from the other fish you have. On a reef, cleaner shrimp eat the parasites from fish and in the aquarium if you have a yellow tang or some other types of fish, it is neat to watch the fish stop by the cleaner shrimp and watch it jump on the fish and start cleaning it.

To keep your tank clean, you will need to buy some snails which do a great job keeping algae off the rocks and substrate.

To add polyps, you will need to have a lot of light which is far more than you get on a standard aquarium light fixture. For a 20 gallon you will need approx 60 watts off fluorescent lite preferably more.

I have put fish and inverts in my aquarium in as little as 2 weeks with no problem, mind you, just a few at a time not fully stocked.