I sure go through some snails.

slipondajimmy · Mar 2, 2009

Anyone else have this problem? I just cant seem to keep snails in my tank for long. There are all sorts of empty shells but other then 2 or 3 nassarius snails everything else seems to have died or something. I have had a hard time recently keeping snails. I have had both trochus and turbo snails with no luck. Anyone have any suggestions?

Maybe instead of a frag tank I should have a snail tank.

Saltysteele · Mar 2, 2009

do you have any crabs? any other inverts?

you may want to check to make sure one of the snails you do have, is not a whelk. there is one that looks like a nass, but the snout will have a leopard print type of snout, will generally be larger, and will not spend as much time doing what normal nass do.

slipondajimmy · Mar 3, 2009

I have a handful of hermit crabs(blue leg) and the nass snails I mentions. There is also a pep shrimp in there but it hardly ever comes out from the rocks.

Saltysteele said:
do you have any crabs? any other inverts?

you may want to check to make sure one of the snails you do have, is not a whelk. there is one that looks like a nass, but the snout will have a leopard print type of snout, will generally be larger, and will not spend as much time doing what normal nass do.

Mariner · Mar 3, 2009

Well, you might try a different supplier for your snails, or maybe some different species -- some seem to do better than others in a given tank. I really like the Zebra Turbos that are becoming available now. They seem to be hardier and harder working than turbo snails I've had in the past.
HTH,
Mariner

TritonsGarden · Mar 3, 2009

Are you adding any chemicals to the tank? We lost some snails after dosing Aglaefix.

Jack

slipondajimmy · Mar 3, 2009

Hey Mariner I might have to do that. I normally purchase them from my LFS.

Triton. I do not dose at all.

killingseed2000 · Mar 3, 2009

pyramid snail maybe. they have been my problem. they killed off all my snails. they are very tiny and will sux most snails dry.

slipondajimmy · Mar 3, 2009

killingseed2000 said:
pyramid snail maybe. they have been my problem. they killed off all my snails. they are very tiny and will sux most snails dry.

Interesting

killingseed2000 · Mar 3, 2009

here is a pic of them suxing on a snail now i googled. there are two types ones that eat clams and ones that eat snails.

slipondajimmy · Mar 3, 2009

wow I never knew this.

I am pretty ticked that I need to go and spend all the cash again for snails though. I dont even remember what my LFS sells them for but it still stinks

killingseed2000 · Mar 3, 2009

personally i dont have snails anymore, i would like to but my tank still has those bugger in my tank suxing on the micro snails that come out at night. i havent had snails in more then 2 years. my LFS charge 2.50 and above so i just said i'm not going to feed those buggers at that cost or any other cost. i was taking them out one by one but they bread too dam quick so i gave up on that. thought maybe i would wait it out see if they stave but sense they are now feeding off on the micro snails in my tank i dont see that happing anytime soon.

Pianoman · Mar 3, 2009

yah i cant seem to keep snails over 3 months

Hypertek99 · Mar 3, 2009

My elegance eats snails. Do you have one??

slipondajimmy · Mar 4, 2009

Hypertek99 said:
My elegance eats snails. Do you have one??

No I do not. I have had this problem for some time now. So I just dont know.

Paintguru · Mar 4, 2009

IMO people put too many snails in their tank. Whenever I get too many, I usually have die off until a steady state level of sustainability is reached. Usually is amounts to 1 snail for every 5 gallons or so.

slipondajimmy · Mar 4, 2009

Paintguru said:
IMO people put too many snails in their tank. Whenever I get too many, I usually have die off until a steady state level of sustainability is reached. Usually is amounts to 1 snail for every 5 gallons or so.

Well I have never had that many at one time maybe 6-8. Right now it looks like all but 2 have died.