Is my live rock working right?

peterire · Sep 3, 2020

Hi, so I have my reefer 350 up and running around 5 weeks now. Cycle done and 2 clowns in there with some clean up crew (they have been in 4 weeks). That consists of 10 turbo snails, 3 nassarius snails, 3 blue leg hermit crabs, tuxedo urchin and a fighting conch.

Anyway, I notice a lot of the time the turbo snails are on the glass or the wave makers. So is this normal behavior or is there just not enough nourishment for them on the rocks?

Its cured live rock, some pics below.

I've been running the lights for 5 weeks. increasing the hours gradually. They are on 11hrs or so a day now for the last week.

Thanks

revhtree · Sep 3, 2020

Hello!

Your snails are probably eating the algae on the glass. Live rock is called live because of the bacteria that forms and grows on it and within it. It's not really something that feed your snails unless it begins to grow algae on it and you really don't want that anyway. So it seems like it's normal to me!

peterire · Sep 3, 2020

revhtree said:
Hello!

Your snails are probably eating the algae on the glass. Live rock is called live because of the bacteria that forms and grows on it and within it. It's not really something that feed your snails unless it begins to grow algae on it and you really don't want that anyway. So it seems like it's normal to me!

Ok thanks

I cant see anything on the glass. So I wasn't sure if they were actually starved a bit or not. I will leave them to it so..!

revhtree · Sep 3, 2020

If you don't see algae then you might consider rubber-banding some small dry seaweed pieces to a rock for them to eat. In a newer tank like that there probably isn't too much to eat. Don't over do it though.

peterire · Sep 3, 2020

revhtree said:
If you don't see algae then you might consider rubber-banding some small dry seaweed pieces to a rock for them to eat. In a newer tank like that there probably isn't too much to eat. Don't over do it though.

Yea thats probably not a bad idea, I was giving the urchin some dried SW when he was near the rim. I'll try that with the snails thanks.