Nassarius snails do not like my Tank

[Luvthekeys]

I have a large cleanup crew and for the most part they are doing fine over the past few months. It includes Peppermint Shrimp, Astra Snails, Nerite Snails, Tiger Couch, Clams etc. However twice during the last few months I have tried to introduce nassarius snails. They quickly head down into the sand. For the first few days when I feed they pop out to get some. However after a week or so no more appearances are made. I would think if they were still alive I would see them once in a while. Water parameters are almost straight down the middle of recommendations for a reef tank. Any idea why they and only they do not like my tank.

 

[prdubois]

Look for them when the lights are off. use a red light

 

[steelheader.262]

I've had a few go missing but I think it's more due to the crab killing them for there shells.

Make sure you provide extra shell for the crabs

 

[abinder]

Don't nassarius snails spend most of their time under the gravel/sand bed? I know that where mine spend most of their time and when I vacuum the gravel each week, I usually find them under the gravel and they fairly quickly head back under the gravel.


Allen

 

[Ahruk]

If I were you I would not presume they are dead. I've gone weeks without seeing one or more of my mini nassarius snails. Also my mom just called me and told me that a black nassarius (different species but looks very similar) living in a sandless jar that hadn't moved for over a month is now moving around ... I'm going over there to verify this Afternoon will let you know if it's actually alive. Personally from what I've heard and experienced nassarius snails seem to be one of the hardiest snails in the hobby. Recently talked to someone whoed hAd his for over 10 years and survived numerous tank crashes. I know personally the black nassarius survived temperatures between 40-90 degrees (figured the 95 degree temps killed him but I may yet be proved wrong)

 

[Oceansize]

I have found that with CUC's, if you give it time, they will find equilibrium with available resources. My advice is don't fight it. If that equilibrium has already been reached, then any new CUC may be doomed from the get-go.

 

[lauderdalestunner]

I just had one pop out the sand I hadn't seen for years. He did also just died, pulled the body and shell out together. Not sure the cause but it wasn't the hermits. He poped out the sand during a feeding and never dug back in.

 

[Naiad]

At night put a chunk of meaty food in a container with a few holes in it so that the smell gets out but no one else can eat it. A few should at least pop their "snorkels" up.

 

[Luvthekeys]

thanks to all for the info and suggestions. I thought the comment about the CUC finding equilibrium was very good. I have to resist adding more. Recently I added a tiger sand sifting conch and a banded coral shrimp. The conch seems to do fine roaming the tank and then taking a break and burying himself in the sand. As for the small banded coral shrimp, he does not take any poop from anyone so he seems fine too. When I first added the cleanup crew I added a number of various sized shells to try to prevent snail homicide by crab.

 

[Wiz]

Ihave a very diverse cuc as well. Tonga nassarius, nerite, tapestry, astrea, trochus, cerith.... I've order over 300 vibex snails over my ten years of reefing. It is one snail I can't keep alive. there may be one or two. But the majority are never seen again. Thought it was just me