Inverts Shipped Dry

[jda]

I know that anything is a risk, but do snails and hermits that are shipped dry have much risk of fish diseases making it through shipping?

I don't really need any "why risk it" type of discussion, but does anybody know how tomonts, theronts, etc. would handle such an experience being out of water?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I know that anything is a risk, but do snails and hermits that are shipped dry have much risk of fish diseases making it through shipping?

I don't really need any "why risk it" type of discussion, but does anybody know how tomonts, theronts, etc. would handle such an experience being out of water?

they would have less of a chance mainly to no actual hosts and lower temps although High temps have a higher effect on them.

 

[KrisReef]

Interesting idea. Don't have data, but would suspect that some pests would encapsulate in desiccation and live longer than the macro inverts they were clinging to?

 

[Midrats]

I would imagine once the snail sets material condition Zebra and locks down all hatches that that little bit of water trapped inside would provide an excellent travel medium for diseases.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

These diseases get transported in the water, and on wet surfaces so the less water, the fewer pathogens get moved. Fewer does not mean zero. Getting invertebrates from fish-free systems is a huge benefit.

The biggest issue is the eggs of Neobenedenia flukes. Just one viable egg can start an infection, and the eggs have sticky tendrils they use to attach to surfaces. 14 days without a fish host will make those eggs non-infective, but I give it at least 21 days.

Depuration is the process of cleaning diseases from living organisms. They use this process to make shellfish safer for people to eat, basically housing the live seafood in sterile water conditions for three days. You can do a similar thing, where you rinse off any hard shelled invertebrates with clean seawater before moving them to the tank.

There is a "chart" out there, maybe even a copy of it is on R2R, that gives very specific "clearing times" for how long various invertebrates can house diseases - if you see that, run, don't walk away from it, it's mostly hogwash (grin).

Jay

 

[Miami Reef]

I know that anything is a risk, but do snails and hermits that are shipped dry have much risk of fish diseases making it through shipping?

I don't really need any "why risk it" type of discussion, but does anybody know how tomonts, theronts, etc. would handle such an experience being out of water?

They don’t ship snails and hermits bone dry, so parasites can technically survive on them.

If a tomont theoretically encysts on a snail shell, it would survive because vendors ship them in damp paper towels.

However, snails and hermits are usually kept in fish-free systems, so ich and velvet isn’t likely to transfer on them. However, we don’t know exactly they were in fish free systems for.

I’d say it’s a small risk IMO.

 

[ronsonb]

They don’t ship snails and hermits bone dry, so parasites can technically survive on them.

If a tomont theoretically encysts on a snail shell, it would survive because vendors ship them in damp paper towels.

However, snails and hermits are usually kept in fish-free systems, so ich and velvet isn’t likely to transfer on them. However, we don’t know exactly they were in fish free systems for.

I’d say it’s a small risk IMO.

A few sites say they’re fishless systems but likely sell hundreds of snails a week with massive turnover so I would assume they’re not in there for long, but like you said could really never know.

Dr. Reef keeps them separated in full QT but you pay $5/snail instead of $.5-1/snail. Expensive little buggers but paying for the piece of mind

 

[Debramb]

A few sites say they’re fishless systems but likely sell hundreds of snails a week with massive turnover so I would assume they’re not in there for long, but like you said could really never know.

Dr. Reef keeps them separated in full QT but you pay $5/snail instead of $.5-1/snail. Expensive little buggers but paying for the piece of mind

That’s where mine are coming from…. To be safe