Fighting Conch

[Sonam]

Our new conch cleans up beautifully one half side of the tank at a time and then immediately drops down into the sand and sleeps. We have to wake him up to get him to clean the sand on the other side.

What should we do? Let him sleep and get another one?

We have a 125 gallon system with a deep sand bed and live rock.

I know they can become large. Will they stay a size appropriate to the system or will we need to sell him in the future?

 

[saltyhog]

I wouldn't recommend disturbing him once he's buried in the sand. It sounds like you could use two. I have two in a 72x24 tank and also have 4 conchs of a smaller species.

 

[Silver14SS]

Looks like you could put a couple more in there:
https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/florida-fighting-conch

They are fun to watch, kind of like having an elephant lumbering around the tank.

 

[LittleMaui]

I have 4 in my Reefer 450. They are great at keeping substrate moving so algae doesn't grow. I have had the burrow and sleep for days.

 

[Sonam]

Thank you to everyone. It seems like my guy may be overworked. I will get another one. And maybe some smaller ones as per your advice.

And we won’t wake him up anymore.

Do you think it’s hibernation or sleep?

 

[Fudsey]

I have 2 in a 4x2x2 tank and they are usually in the sand all the time. I have wondered if 1 or the other might have passed but then the next time I look, it's moved.

 

[Sonam]

Do yours eat?

 

[Fudsey]

Eat what? They move through the sand eating what ever they come across. I don't specifically feed them. I do feed my tank 3 times a day, 2 times pellets on an auto feeder and one time frozen Reef Frenzy by hand.