Self righting snails?

hig789 · Jul 7, 2015

Alight I hate Astraea snails. I buy 5 and I'm lucky to have two live over a day. They either fall off the glass or rock and I dont see them in time to flip em back over or they just flat out stop moving.

I originally bought 5 as part of the CUC for my 15g and two have hung in there the others are gone.

I bought 5 more because the RO I was getting ended up having some TDS in it and I came home from vacation to a nice little bloom in the tank. The RO problem has been rectified and I vacuumed what I could off the sand.

Really just wanted a few more just to have so I over shot the total by few because I knew some wouldn't make it.

Are there any self righting snails out there? Don't really want anything that's gonna get huge though. But if I could find 3 good snails of trade the others in and go with them.

To acclimate them I just float them and dump a few cups of tank water in there over the course of an hour. Then just stick em in.

-Logzor · Jul 7, 2015

Buy trochus snails. They are more expensive but right themselves 90% of the time and can live for years. Some may even spawn snails that will grow to mature adults. Going price is $2.00, high is $2.50, low is $1.50.

AdamNC · Jul 7, 2015

I prefer Trochus snails over most others. Eat about anything and can self right themselves. Also hermits have a hard time eating them as they can shake them off their shell.

3Twinklets · Jul 7, 2015

Good advice. I have some that are ancient.

hig789 · Jul 7, 2015

Cool. Thanks. I was just reading about those on live aquaria. Any recommendations on how many to get? I will be getting rid of the astraeas

I might have to wait till we go to Lexington to get them. Our LFS seem to think that Astraea are the only snails on the planet.

hig789 · Jul 7, 2015

Well live aquaria says 1 for every 2-3 gallons of water. So 4 or 5 should do the trick.

cloak · Jul 7, 2015

For a 15 gallon tank two of those Banded Trochus snails would be plenty IMO. These things are eating machines. I only have one in my 20 gallon tank and it's pretty much spotless. Also, these things get to be about the size of a golf ball, so make sure everything is fastened down tightly.

reefbeard · Jul 7, 2015

Trochus are great but for me they have a very low survival rate during shipping. Bought 10 Cerith snails a few months ago and now I have over 100, babie to adults. They do a good job with film algae and are self righting.

hig789 · Jul 7, 2015

Yeah live LA says they get 3/4"-1". That's a bit bigger than I want. Don't particularly want a bulldozer in my tank.

UABsleeper · Jul 7, 2015

Trochus are my favorite snails their fast movers and clean like crazy! I've never had much luck with Astria snails either.. Have probably bought 4 or 5 and only have like 1!

Also turbo snails are great they eat everything you can sometimes find them pretty small! I have never had a problem with them knocking over corals but I glue everything down cause my crabs knock them over otherwise

I have found the trick is to first find snails that are very active and drip acclimate very very slowly especially if your salinity does not match theirs

hig789 · Jul 7, 2015

Most of my frags are in the sand bed right now but I just bought a big bottle of CA glue for when I mount them. I know that store I went to today carried big turbos not sure about little ones.

I didn't even think about the salinity. This women could barely operate the cash register. And she got a net to get the snails. It's her sisters store and she was out with a broken arm.

AdamNC · Jul 8, 2015

UABsleeper said:
Also turbo snails are great they eat everything you can sometimes find them pretty small! I have never had a problem with them knocking over corals but I glue everything down cause my crabs knock them over otherwise

My 1 Turbo is a pure bulldozer. Almost full grown, if it's not glued down it's going over. Cleans everything in sight but big, probably almost the size of a golf ball.

UABsleeper · Jul 8, 2015

AdamNC said:
My 1 Turbo is a pure bulldozer. Almost full grown, if it's not glued down it's going over. Cleans everything in sight but big, probably almost the size of a golf ball.

Haha true true mine is also probably about the size of a golf ball.. And I could see him knocking stuff over luckily all mine are glued down except for a couple in the sand which he doesn't seem to bother! But he is probably one of the best cleaners in my tank him and my sand sifting starfish

Gopi · Jul 8, 2015

I keep misreading the title as "self righteous snails."

Anyway, cerith and nerites are great. I use nassarious for the sand bed. Reefcleaners has several snail options and I've had great survival rates with them.