How to keep hoof snails alive after host leaves shell.

[kazeespada]

My previous thread I learned that my Halloween Hermit had some hoof snails living on them. However, my halloween hermit has recently vacated that shell, leaving the hoofs snails behind. In the wild, hopefully another hermit would come to take the shell away. What can I do to try to keep the hoof snails alive in my reef tank?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

My previous thread I learned that my Halloween Hermit had some hoof snails living on them. However, my halloween hermit has recently vacated that shell, leaving the hoofs snails behind. In the wild, hopefully another hermit would come to take the shell away. What can I do to try to keep the hoof snails alive in my reef tank?

So, I know at least some species of hoof snails can move (and some of them do so slightly even while on their host over time), so there's a good chance it'll move on its own to a new host. That said, if it doesn't, reading up a little on what they eat, it seems they may eat snail mucus, mantle tissue, and feces; microalgae on their host's shell; detritus; and coralline algae. So, I'd personally try offering them small sinking pellets (I'd recommend Otohime pellets and NLS pellets - the Otohime brand is higher is protein while the NLS pellets contain a good variety of algae), though you may need to isolate the snail for it to get them/not be outcompeted for the food by the other inhabitants of the tank.

There's no guarantee it'll take these feeds, but it seems to me like it would a good place to start trying at least.

*Sources:

Importance of host quality in the distribution of the epizoic limpet Hipponix conicus (Caenogastropoda: Hipponicidae)

Abstract. The epizoic bonnet limpet Hipponix conicus adheres to various species of sublittoral and littoral gastropods throughout the Indo-West Pacific pro

academic.oup.com

Hipponix cranioides