Snail Pandemic!

[Ocean’s Piece]

So for some reason, my Astrea snails started dying, and today, my Conch snail died, which is why I’m bringing this up. One by one they keep dying and there are only a few left. My trochus snails seem to be doing fine. While there could be a thousand reasons, a few things that may have caused it is a lack of food (but when my conch started becoming inactive, patches of diatoms and cyano reappeared after months), unstable parameters (recently started only dosing and not doing water changes and I realized I was doing the wrong amount. has since been figured out), temperature instability (just got an Inkbird), acoel flatworms (found them crawling out of a lot of the snails and sometimes bristle worms, but I assume they’re just being clean up crew members), high magnesium (been around 1400, but it’s probably unlikely the reason). I’m a little confused as to why because it could be so many things. Which of these things do you think it could be?

 

[Uncle99]

High MG (but say north of 1600ppm).
A predator?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

High MG (but say north of 1600ppm).
A predator?

Only predator I could think of is the acoel flatworms or the bristleworms. But I doubt it. Acoel flatworms have only been seen eating algae on the glass and aren’t generally considered predators. Bristleworms are just cleanup crew and arent any larger than 3 inches or so. Plan to get a six line soon.

 

[Uncle99]

Only predator I could think of is the acoel flatworms or the bristleworms. But I doubt it. Acoel flatworms have only been seen eating algae on the glass and aren’t generally considered predators. Bristleworms are just cleanup crew and arent any larger than 3 inches or so. Plan to get a six line soon.

No hermits, no wrasse, no shrimp?
A 3” bristleworm?
I would think that size could easily take out a snail.

 

[Fishy888]

Although unlikely could it be copper or some other heavy metal or a toxin?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

No hermits, no wrasse, no shrimp?
A 3” bristleworm?
I would think that size could easily take out a snail.

Yeah about three inches. I only thought they were issues when they got to feet long. I’ll have to look into this. Also could be asterina starfish but I doubt it. Their numbers have been increasing though.

Although unlikely could it be copper or some other heavy metal or a toxin?

It may be, but the issue started before I stopped doing water changes. If this happened after I stopped doing water changes, it may be a reason to raise concern over because there’s no export of these metals. I’ll keep it in mind though and I plan to get an ICP test soon

 

[roggy23]

Only predator I could think of is the acoel flatworms or the bristleworms. But I doubt it. Acoel flatworms have only been seen eating algae on the glass and aren’t generally considered predators. Bristleworms are just cleanup crew and arent any larger than 3 inches or so. Plan to get a six line soon.

Do 6 lines eat briatleworms?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Do 6 lines eat briatleworms?

From what I have read, some eat them and some don’t touch them.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I think my best move is to get one. But I plan to add it to my tank last. So I’d have to get all the other fish I plan to get, which is a clownfish. Also may get a cleaner shrimp since they’re supposed to be fine with sixlines.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

No hermits, no wrasse, no shrimp?
A 3” bristleworm?
I would think that size could easily take out a snail.

Also forgot to mention, I used to stir my sandbed and now I don’t because I figured my conch was doing that job for me, and he was. But it could have been the bubbles that got trapped under the sandbed.

 

[attiland]

What is the next letter in the Greek alphabet after omicron?

it is none of the above predictors for sure.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

What is the next letter in the Greek alphabet after omicron?

it is none of the above predictors for sure.

So are you saying that none of the things I mentioned would be a reason for them to die?

 

[Uncle99]

So are you saying that none of the things I mentioned would be a reason for them to die?

Are they dying, or just MIA?

 

[attiland]

So are you saying that none of the things I mentioned would be a reason for them to die?

briatleworms is not an issue for snails
Acoel flatworms is also no issue.
listed water parameters are not problematic so it is something else.

metals could be but why now? Your tank is less than a year old. Not impossible but my bet it is not the case. Maybe an ICP would tell.

new tanks can produce parameters swings which is known to kill snails and this is possible.

I will be honest not sure who is killing your snails. Maybe a mantis shrimp.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Are they dying, or just MIA?

They’re dying. None have gone missing, and all of them have either been empty shelled or had saggy tissue and all had the ammonia smell.

briatleworms is not an issue for snails
Acoel flatworms is also no issue.
listed water parameters are not problematic so it is something else.

metals could be but why now? Your tank is less than a year old. Not impossible but my bet it is not the case. Maybe an ICP would tell.

new tanks can produce parameters swings which is known to kill snails and this is possible.

I will be honest not sure who is killing your snails. Maybe a mantis shrimp.

Hopefully it’s the parameters. But a mantis shrimp is hard to believe too. It could be the smallest little guy now that is growing, but it’s hard to believe that there is one. I have had little to no pest come off the live rock. Only 1 aiptasia, which I killed and none since, asterina starfish, acoel flatworms, but those may have came off a coral since they arrived later, bristleworms, and that’s about it.

 

[Fishy888]

Are hermits also dying? If not it could be they are the cause. They have no problem killing snails and other hermits if they want their shells. I had that happen to me just a few days ago. If you have a lot of snails dying though it isn't the hermits. As far as bristle worms go, unless you have true fireworms in your tank or Bobbitt worms which is highly unlikely (I read that they only show up in 2% of reef tanks) the worms are not responsible for the deaths.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Are hermits also dying? If not it could be they are the cause. They have no problem killing snails and other hermits if they want their shells. I had that happen to me just a few days ago.

I don’t have hermits in my tank

 

[Fishy888]

Is there any chance you have a small ammonia spike? If you can I would test your water parameters and post them. That could show us the issue.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Is there any chance you have a small ammonia spike? If you can I would test your water parameters and post them. That could show us the issue.

I will do this. I have an API test, which for ammonia is terribly inaccurate but it’s worth a shot. I’m away from my tank until tomorrow but I’ll test as soon as I get back.

 

[Uncle99]

They’re dying. None have gone missing, and all of them have either been empty shelled or had saggy tissue and all had the ammonia smell.

Hopefully it’s the parameters. But a mantis shrimp is hard to believe too. It could be the smallest little guy now that is growing, but it’s hard to believe that there is one. I have had little to no pest come off the live rock. Only 1 aiptasia, which I killed and none since, asterina starfish, acoel flatworms, but those may have came off a coral since they arrived later, bristleworms, and that’s about it.

I found a gorilla crab 3 years after starting my system when I broke it down to upgrade. It was almost 2” when found and nothing had been added in 2 years.
I was so surprised.
He was the likely culprit of many kills in my system.
Since his removal, no further losses.
If they are “melting” that points to water chemistry.
MG at high levels will do that to snails.
Quick change in Temp and Alk also.