Snails... What good are they?

Saltine · Jul 8, 2016

So, what good are snails? Nassarius sift sand sure, that's helpful, but there are many other critters that can do this. Astrea snails are supposed to clean glass/rocks etc, but I still find myself scraping algae off the glass and most of what they are eating off my rocks will turn into coralline anyways...

The ever growing snail shell graveyard at the bottom of my tank has me asking... why buy more?

thoughts?

Boesemani · Jul 8, 2016

I think we can all agree that astreas are pretty useless, but nassarius's are helpful. I'm not sure if I understand though... Snails seem to be good at eliminating some types of algae but it also depends on the type of snail.

that Reef Guy · Jul 8, 2016

Tiger Trochus are the Snails you want.

They Plow through Hair Algae and can usually Flip themselves over unlike Astrea Snails (I have no idea why people buy those they are such a waste of money as they always Die).

Tiger Trochus are often called the "Cadillac of Snails"

They are the Only Cleanup Crew that I use in my 6 Tanks.

cloak · Jul 8, 2016

Being that I keep the glass clean with a Mag-Float and I keep the sand clean by stirring it up every now & then, snails don't really do much for me at this point. Coralline algae is the most dominant in my tank now.

FWIW I've got one Trochus snail in my 20 gallon tank and that's it. There's really no need for any more.

Saltine · Jul 8, 2016

that Reef Guy said:
Tiger Trochus are the Snails you want.

They Plow through Hair Algae and can usually Flip themselves over unlike Astrea Snails (I have no idea why people buy those they are such a waste of money as they always Die).

Tiger Trochus are often called the "Cadillac of Snails"

They are the Only Cleanup Crew that I use in my 6 Tanks.

I do have a couple of those and they seem like the work horses! I'll just keep those

.

I have a horseshoe crab that keeps my sand bed well stirred. I have a hairy shroom on my sandbed that's just kind of "there" he moves it all around.

Salt

LetItReef · Jul 8, 2016

Trochus here too and Conch.

happyhourhero · Jul 8, 2016

cloak said:
Being that I keep the glass clean with a Mag-Float and I keep the sand clean by stirring it up every now & then, snails don't really do much for me at this point. Coralline algae is the most dominant in my tank now.

FWIW I've got one Trochus snail in my 20 gallon tank and that's it. There's really no need for any more.

That is a turbo snail. They are decent snails too.

I also prefer tiger trochus snails. They are great.

Astreas are good at cleaning frag plugs. That's about all they have going for them.

cloak · Jul 8, 2016

happyhourhero said:
That is a turbo snail. They are decent snails too.

Are you sure? I've had the snail for at least 3 or 4 years now and the flesh is black if that makes a difference.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+526+564&pcatid=564

happyhourhero · Jul 8, 2016

Tiger Trochus

Zebra Turbo

cloak · Jul 8, 2016

Hmm. Let me see if Pagojoe can identify it for me, but thanks for the heads up.

Boesemani · Jul 8, 2016

Saltine said:
I do have a couple of those and they seem like the work horses! I'll just keep those .

I have a horseshoe crab that keeps my sand bed well stirred. I have a hairy shroom on my sandbed that's just kind of "there" he moves it all around.

Salt

Better watch that horseshoe crab, they generally don't do too well in home aquariums. Trochus snails are really the only snail I'd call great at cleaning.

AdamNC · Jul 9, 2016

I keep 3 Banded/Tiger Trocus in a 29 gallon and they seem to do a good job.

rock_lobster · Jul 9, 2016

Zebra trochus are insanely good at cleaning aquariums. You can drop them into a tank loaded with hair algae, bryopsis, anything imaginable and they will have it looking immaculate in a few days. Only probably is they get very large like golf ball sized.

Feltman · Jul 9, 2016

So are these margarita or trochus snails?

happyhourhero · Jul 9, 2016

^Those are trochus.

rock_lobster said:
Zebra trochus are insanely good at cleaning aquariums. You can drop them into a tank loaded with hair algae, bryopsis, anything imaginable and they will have it looking immaculate in a few days. Only probably is they get very large like golf ball sized.

You are thinking of zebra turbo snails. Trochus do not get too big.

cloak · Jul 9, 2016

I was able to have Pagojoe identify my snail for me.

http://www.gastropods.com/4/Shell_24.shtml

Saltine · Jul 10, 2016

Boesemani said:
Better watch that horseshoe crab, they generally don't do too well in home aquariums. Trochus snails are really the only snail I'd call great at cleaning.

I've had him for going on a year now, no problems yet. What usually happens?

Salt

Roboson · Jul 11, 2016

They get rather large and require more food than the average sandbed can provide.

DracoKat · Jul 11, 2016

Sorry for piggy-backing on this thread.. how many trochus snails for a 75 gal reef would be good?

rock_lobster · Jul 11, 2016

I had trochus snails they never really did anything except clean the film algae that doesnt really show up on rocks. they put tiny bite marks all over it on the glass and still has to be cleaned just as often with a mag cleaner or scrubber. The large turbo snails like zebra or mexican turbo snail I was referring to above eat the filamentous algae that is found in most aquarium of some variety.