Help with snail survival.

[trsmith18]

Im looking for some insight into why I cannot get any snails to survive. I had a mass die off several months back when I had to QT my clowns and leave the tanks fallow. I assume this occurred due to the collapse of their food chain

Well several months later now I have attempted to get a few back into to tank to try and control some turf algae and churn the sand bed a bit but have unsuccessful. I get them locally or mailed and it doesn't seem to matter. I temp acclimate and have tried various attempts at salinity matching (none, drip, pour) without success. I place them in the tank and then they never move.

Current temp is 76.5, NO 7, PO4 at .04. Any insight and help to what Im doing or not doing would be great.

 

[Sharkbait19]

What species have you tried? Were you feeding the tank during the fallow?

 

[I never finish anythi]

And no copper has ever been used in the tank ??

 

[Cthulukelele]

Finding healthy snails from vendors has always been my biggest problem. If you have a local supplier figure out what their receiving day is. Snails don't do well long term without food in those tiny store display tanks with 50 of them in there.

 

[JTP424]

What's your salinity and has it had swings? Any tank photos in case there's something showing?

 

[trsmith18]

What species have you tried? Were you feeding the tank during the fallow?

occasionally, but its no longer fallow. My clowns have been back in there for over three months

 

[trsmith18]

And no copper has ever been used in the tank ??

no, the clowns were QT'd with copper and other disease treatments in a hospital tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

do you have enough algae in the tank? How old is the tank? Not many snails are needed in a mature tank, if you add too many, some will die of starvation.

 

[trsmith18]

What's your salinity and has it had swings? Any tank photos in case there's something showing?

tanks typically hovers between 1.025-1.026 over the course of two weeks with evaporation/ATO

 

[trsmith18]

do you have enough algae in the tank? How old is the tank? Not many snails are needed in a mature tank, if you add too many, some will die of starvation.

Not my current issue. I can t get any to survive

I have zero snails right now and bits of green algae on the sand and on the rocks. tank is currently 11 months old

 

[trsmith18]

Ive tried margarita, trochus, turbo and astrea

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

you put them on the rocks right? Some of them can't move in the sand.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Margarita and turbos generally need cooler temps than most tanks provide, and astreas cannot flip themselves over if upside down (leading to death).
Trochus are generally very hardy though.

 

[trsmith18]

you put them on the rocks right? Some of them can't move in the sand.

Yes, but they never seem to come out and just sit there for days

 

[trsmith18]

Margarita and turbos generally need cooler temps than most tanks provide, and astreas cannot flip themselves over if upside down (leading to death).
Trochus are generally very hardy though.

Again, the issue isn’t them wasting away or flipping themselves over…I can’t get them to survive once acclimated and placed in the tank

 

[trsmith18]

What does everyone do to acclimate snails? Drip, if so how long?

 

[I never finish anythi]

What does everyone do to acclimate snails? Drip, if so how long?

I just put mine straight in if the sg is the same . I just get the temp up and plop

 

[trsmith18]

Just really frustrated as Ive tried multiple different routes and need to get some darn inverts in the take as a CUC.

Any other things I should be looking at? How would I know if I have a stray electrical current? Would running something like Purit help?

grasping at straws

 

[JTP424]

This is really interesting....
I'd say see if you can get some to live in your QT.
Or if when you pulled your clowns something leached into your rocks etc.
No other inverts in the tanks? I had a single hermit DECIMATE my snail population once because he liked the taste...
(Currently questioning because I too am dealing with non normal snail deaths)

 

[trsmith18]

This is really interesting....
I'd say see if you can get some to live in your QT.
Or if when you pulled your clowns something leached into your rocks etc.
No other inverts in the tanks? I had a single hermit DECIMATE my snail population once because he liked the taste...
(Currently questioning because I too am dealing with non normal snail deaths)

No other inverts in the tank, all treatments where done in the hospital tank (not display).

Maybe Ill just try the PurIt since it states it'll remove heavy metals at other things that maybe I dont know is present.