Snails Dying

[RickG]

hey guys quick question. I have 125 gal tank that I set up early December 2016 and this is the second batch of astreas snails that die on me. My parameters are all on check. As for livestock I have two tangs, two clowns, some blue reef chromis, red legs, blue legs, 2 emeralds and cleaner shrimp. They all are doing good. Going crazy trying to figure out why they keep dying on me. Only thing I could think of that I havent tested for is copper, but wouldnt my other inverts be dying as well if that were the case? Might go get a cheap test kit to check that possibility. Like to get some input and thanks in advance!

 

[Jisko]

yeah your inverts would die if it was a copper problem

Do you have a lot of algae and stuff for them to eat?
Do you have crabs or anything that could be eating the snails?
Are you finding empty shells or is the snail still inside of the shell

 

[RickG]

yeah I do have algae on some of my rocks. Thats why I keep getting snails to combat it lol. From what I know, I havent seen any of my crabs picking at my snails. I tried pulling them out because I could tell something was wrong and put into another one of my tanks and snail was still in the shell

 

[Jisko]

hhhmm weird only time I've had this problem is when my hermits would eat the snails.

 

[RickG]

hhhmm weird only time I've had this problem is when my hermits would eat the snails.

lol thats what im saying! I might buy another small batch and keep an eye on my crabs. I have some cyanobacteria, idk if that has any ill effects but idt thats the problem.

 

[Jisko]

lol thats what im saying! I might buy another small batch and keep an eye on my crabs. I have some cyanobacteria, idk if that has any ill effects but idt thats the problem.

keep us posted.... maybe youll find some weird lil critter living in the rocks

 

[RickG]

keep us posted.... maybe youll find some weird lil critter living in the rocks

yeah sure will. Thanks for the input bud!

 

[Jisko]

yeah sure will. Thanks for the input bud!

np I like to try and help or give input if I can haha good luck

 

[prsnlty]

My snails stopped dying when I rid my tank of blue legs. What kind of snails are they that are dying? How soon after introduction to the tank do they die? If your magnesium is over 1400 they can die from that as well.

 

[prsnlty]

Sorry I just reread your post and see that they're astraea snails. Blue legs favorite dinner... they knock them over and eat them it's that simple. Because astraea snails cannot right themselves.

 

[prsnlty]

Get some trochus and Mexican turbos for the algae. The hermits won't bother them. But if they die you have something else going on.

 

[prsnlty]

Could it be how your acclimating them to the tank? Just throwing ideas out there...

 

[RickG]

Could it be how your acclimating them to the tank? Just throwing ideas out there...

So I was just checking the mag to check if maybe that was it, but its under 1400. No corals in this tank yet so havent bothered testing the mag. I know that the blue legs eating them might be a possibility, but I think that would happen to maybe a couple not all of them. Also in my other tank, I have kept both red and blue legs with astraeas and never had this problem. I was going to go with trochus but LFS didnt have any lol. I mean maybe it can be acclimation, ill try to drip them a little longer next time see if that works

 

[RickG]

oh and it was a day or two after introduction. Im just confused because my other inverts are fine and had same acclimation

 

[prsnlty]

Only temperature acclimate snails then put them in the tank.

 

[prsnlty]

They can get ammonia poisoning very quickly once you open the bag. That's the reason for temperature acclimation only

 

[prsnlty]

How bad is your cyanobacteria an algae outbreak? Can you post a picture?

 

[prsnlty]

And yes I would still test for copper. Where did you get your rock and sand from if you're using sand? Is it previously used from another system? Or did you get it dry and make it live yourself? I'm wondering if the rock is leaching something

 

[RickG]

And yes I would still test for copper. Where did you get your rock and sand from if you're using sand? Is it previously used from another system? Or did you get it dry and make it live yourself? I'm wondering if the rock is leaching something

the lights are off right now, but I have minimal on sand and get on glass which I wipe off. Sand is the live sand bags and rocks are some live that I had and Pukani rock from BRS that im more than sure is leaching thats were my cyano is coming from because I dont overfeed at all. Im running gfo to try to combat that

 

[prsnlty]

the lights are off right now, but I have minimal on sand and get on glass which I wipe off. Sand is the live sand bags and rocks are some live that I had and Pukani rock from BRS that im more than sure is leaching thats were my cyano is coming from because I dont overfeed at all. Im running gfo to try to combat that

Maybe it's too clean. What are your parameters?