Do Nassarius snails bother Acans, other LPS?

[glb]

My acan was growing like crazy for several weeks after I got it (40g breeder, ATI T-5 4 bulb lights, tank’s first coral after being up a year). Right after I added a Nassarius snail, the acan looked bothered, not fully opened up, and stopped growing. The color is fine and it’s feeding fine. I’ve never seen the snail bother it but I’m flummoxed. Params good: Alk 11.5, Ca 490, Mg 1380, ph 7.9-8.1, temp 76.5-78, Nitrates 0, PO4 0. I stopped Nopox to get more nutrients in the water. I did add an Icecap 1k in the meantime and have it on random up to 50%. I realize the acan might be getting used to more flow, but it started getting cranky the day I added the snails. Can anyone make sense of this? I’m an experienced aquarist but am still learning the ropes about corals. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[mta_morrow]

All I can say is that would be a first for me.

I’ve always had nassarius snails and can’t really say I’ve seen them anywhere but the sand bed and glass.

 

[DSC reef]

+1 never had issues with nassarius. Are you sure it's not a whelk?

 

[glb]

+1 never had issues with nassarius. Are you sure it's not a whelk?

I’m almost positive it’s a Nassarius.

 

[glb]

So is the new powerhead a more likely culprit? Also, the tank is going through the ugly phase. Even though it’s over a year old, I only added T-5’s a month or so ago.

 

[DSC reef]

To much flow, to little nutrients and additional light can be a cause, especially with higher alkalinity

 

[glb]

To much flow, to little nutrients and additional light can be a cause, especially with higher alkalinity

The T5’s are only 4 bulbs. Isn’t that a good light for LPS? Agreed about the nutrients. As far as flow, I’ll turn it down a bit.

 

[DSC reef]

That's great light, I thought you added that to lights you already had on the tank. If you added extra par it's important to have some nutrients when running higher alkalinity. In our tank I preferred higher alkalinity.

 

[glb]

That's great light, I thought you added that to lights you already had on the tank. If you added extra par it's important to have some nutrients when running higher alkalinity. In our tank I preferred higher alkalinity.

No this is the only light I have. I had a tank up and running for a year before the ATI fixture was in my budget! I bought the 4 bulb one specifically for LPS corals, which will be the majority of the tank corals. I turned down the gyre to 20-30% alternating gyre. 20% is 500gph and the lowest setting. If the return pump runs about 250gph is that enough flow? I really know nothing about flow, lol.

 

[DSC reef]

You can crank the flow as long as its indirect to the acans and LPS. When we had a mixed reef it was all about positioning with the LPS due to needing high flow for acropora. In our 75 we had a 3k gyre maxed out with our 1900 gph return on half way.

 

[glb]

You can crank the flow as long as its indirect to the acans and LPS. When we had a mixed reef it was all about positioning with the LPS due to needing high flow for acropora. In our 75 we had a 3k gyre maxed out with our 1900 gph return on half way.

Thanks. The gyre works so well there aren’t many dead spots. I turned it way down to see if that’s the problem. But even this low, it should be close to 800gph. The acans were happiest before I got the powerhead, lol

 

[DSC reef]

Thanks. The gyre works so well there aren’t many dead spots. I turned it way down to see if that’s the problem. But even this low, it should be close to 800gph. The acans were happiest before I got the powerhead, lol

Honestly, they might just need to adjust. As long as there not getting blasted and there's no tissue recession I'd give it time. Our trachyphyllia and acans liked to have a bit of movement as long as it wasn't from just one side. Keep us posted and take a few pics from now and into next week.

 

[glb]

Honestly, they might just need to adjust. As long as there not getting blasted and there's no tissue recession I'd give it time. Our trachyphyllia and acans liked to have a bit of movement as long as it wasn't from just one side. Keep us posted and take a few pics from now and into next week.

Thanks. Their color is good and they eat. They’re just less puffy!