(for an article) Everything snail

Seawitch

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Tell me about your snails:

1) what kinds do you have?
2) are they in your display tank or sump or other?
3) do you like them and/or do they do any damage? Why/how or why not?
4) gimme some nice photos.

THANKS
 
1. Lots of trochus, 2 turbos, few astreas, 1 conch, a few nassarius
2. They started in the display, now they are everywhere, including inside the motor of my skimmer from time to time!
3. I like them all most of the time. I’ve been having a battle with a few of my trochus wedging under a few frag plugs and popping the frags off my rocks, it’s been annoying but they do a lot of work, I’ll let it slide.
4.
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Bare bottom tank, so no nassarius for me , trochus snails , couple Astreas and a couple smaller turbos
 
I have a bunch of snails. Bumble bees (my favorite), Babylonian (my second favorite), trochus, nassarious, and my least favorite turbos (I have three and I can't wait for them to kick the bucket!). :)
 
Tell me about your snails, everyone. And photos please! Thanks for those who have already replied.
 
My trochus snails have been spawning and I didnt even realize really. 3 hours after lights out I saw about 20 smaller ones all over the rocks . Glad I didn't buy more . It's amazing to see how many go to work on night shift
 
nassarius about 200 of them, most were in refugium
1) what kinds do you have? nassarius
2) are they in your display tank or sump or other? Both
3) do you like them and/or do they do any damage? Why/how or why not? Love them
4) gimme some nice photos.

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Forgot refugium

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The main gang, four Mexican Turbo Snails and one Zebra Turbo Snail. All in the display tank with the Mexican Turbos getting a rotating "once in a while" vacation to the sump to help clean up. The Zebra has turned into a monster bulldozer and occasionally does a little rearranging of the rock-work, but not enough to get rid of him/her.
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Also have an assortment of Stomatella and Nassarius snails.
 
2 cowries (chestnut I think) (are they even considered snails?), 1 conch (snail?), 2 astreas. That’s it, prefer urchins over snails.
 
Currently I have about 3-4 nassarius snails from the 9 I got to try to keep my sand shifted, the ones that survived the constant harassment from the multiple wrasses I’ve had specially my Melanurus do an ok job at shifting. 2 strawberry conch and I absolutely love them they are constantly on the move and do a better job at cleaning my sand and moving/shifting it. 2 turbo snails from 3 one died in a crevice I think it couldn’t flip over and the biggest is constantly falling from the glass he’s been lucky so far I have to flip him constantly. 3 astrea nails, these are solid snails constantly on my glass and rocks but spawn a lot and catch many babies everywhere specially my skimmers pump. 1 bubble bee hitchhiker , and a bunch of Stomatella snail also hitchhikers which have grown pretty big in the few years I’ve had them, only see them when the tank is dark, actually they scared me the first time I saw one since he moved so fast after the lights came on. All in my display wished I would’ve bought smaller turbos instead since they are always on my glass and do a good job. I think this is the only pic I have taken of any of my snails I forgot about them once the fish went in lol. I do have a few videos of my nassarius fighting tho lol

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Currently I have about 3-4 nassarius snails from the 9 I got to try to keep my sand shifted, the ones that survived the constant harassment from the multiple wrasses I’ve had specially my Melanurus do an ok job at shifting. 2 strawberry conch and I absolutely love them they are constantly on the move and do a better job at cleaning my sand and moving/shifting it. 2 turbo snails from 3 one died in a crevice I think it couldn’t flip over and the biggest is constantly falling from the glass he’s been lucky so far I have to flip him constantly. 3 astrea nails, these are solid snails constantly on my glass and rocks but spawn a lot and catch many babies everywhere specially my skimmers pump. 1 bubble bee hitchhiker , and a bunch of Stomatella snail also hitchhikers which have grown pretty big in the few years I’ve had them, only see them when the tank is dark, actually they scared me the first time I saw one since he moved so fast after the lights came on. All in my display wished I would’ve bought smaller turbos instead since they are always on my glass and do a good job. I think this is the only pic I have taken of any of my snails I forgot about them once the fish went in lol. I do have a few videos of my nassarius fighting tho lol

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Can we see the videos?
 
I have good luck with my snails. All are active and do their job. One of my favorites are the bllod red turbo

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My opinions, opinions only:

Turbo: Amazing grazers, sometimes get massive and tend to bulldoze.
Astrea: Great grazers, but I don't like them because they fall, and cannot right themselves, and constantly die.
Trochus: Not as good as astrea, but can usually self-right. Will also sometimes reproduce sucessfully
Strombus: Harder to find, but great grazers. Have seen reports of them damaging acrylic.
Cerith: Tiny, but amazing grazers. Reproduces well.
Nassarius: Good for detritus and uneaten food, not for alage. Long lived.
Conches: Have to be careful, can eat algae to the point where they will starve to death in smaller tanks (even a 125!). Especially the bigger ones. They also are not adept at climbing, so likely won't help with the rocks, only the sandbed. Better with large grain sized sand (0.5-0.9mm).
Limpets: Reproduce like crazy, not particularly effective though.
Bumblebee: Not reef safe IMHO.
Cones Whelks Pyramids etc: All not reef safe or predators.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

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  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

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