Adding Snails

[rantipole]

I'm a new reefer. My tank has had fish and some softies for a little less than two months. I've got some hair algae going on, so I have been thinking of adding a few snails. I have some questions:

1) Do you quarantine snails before adding them to the tank?
2) Do you dip snails before adding them to the tank?
3) What snails and how many are recommended to combat hair algae in a 13.5 gal Evo AIO tank?

If it helps, the tank is stocked with 2 ocellaris, 1 Rainford's goby, and frags of neon green leather, green polyp leather, Palauan toadstool, and zoas.

Thanks!

Cheers,
rant

 

[jnj97]

First let me welcome you to this lifestyle. I say lifestyle bc it's not just a hobby.
Secondly you can never have cleanup crew. I've heard it's 2 per gallon but idk bc I have a snail addiction lol.
I've never quarantined a snail thiugh. I just acclimate them.

 

[Smo]

Snails fall into the category of quarantine anything wet. So absolutely quarantine to ensure you don't import any undesirable fish parasites--possibly coral too. 76 days is the current guidance. You can do this in a bucket with a heater and air driven sponge filter. Add a piece of live rock for them to graze on. They will need to be fed too. So depending on the snails you get, research what they eat.
I am not aware of any approved dips for snails but they do need to be carefully acclimated.
For your tank, start out with may be 3-4 snails and see how it goes for the next 6 months. You don't want to run them out of food.
Welcome to the hobby, uh life style.

 

[jnj97]

I ment 1 a gallon.........but oh yes acclimate for 76 days lol. Because we all know that when every person on here gets a new fish,coral,snail,crab etc it lives in a quarantine tank that long. We all must have quarantine tanks all over our house with empty reef tanks just waiting to be filled.

 

[jeff williams]

I ment 1 a gallon.........but oh yes acclimate for 76 days lol. Because we all know that when every person on here gets a new fish,coral,snail,crab etc it lives in a quarantine tank that long. We all must have quarantine tanks all over our house with empty reef tanks just waiting to be filled.

That's me for sure two qt's and I empty dt

 

[40B Knasty]

Clean up crew is to be looked at like painting the Golden Gate Bridge. They start painting on one side of the bridge and when they are finishing up. They need to start back over again. Meaning start off small and build it up. If they wipe out your tank in one week waiting for the next bloom of algae. They grow weak, fall off the glass & live rock. Only to die and add more nutrients to your tank feeding algae and your LFS's(Local Fish Store) pocket with your money. Get one of each. Turbo snails very few people have good luck with them because they are major grazers, but also picky to the height of the GHA(Green Hair Algae) they are trying to chomp on. Astrea snails are good. Maybe 1 nerite to get the film algae along the sand bed that is hard to get with a Magfloat. There are 2 snails that NEED colder water. Margarita and Mexican Turbo. Fighting conch for diatoms. That should help for now.

 

[Doobie65]

I ment 1 a gallon.........but oh yes acclimate for 76 days lol. Because we all know that when every person on here gets a new fish,coral,snail,crab etc it lives in a quarantine tank that long. We all must have quarantine tanks all over our house with empty reef tanks just waiting to be filled.

Yea and most likely half or more have died from old age by then haha