Trouchus snail invasion!!!

Westside Guy · Aug 25, 2019

Over a month ago my LFS recommended that I add some trouchus snails to my Reefer 250. I woke up one morning to find little tiny dots all over my rocks and they are reproducing like crazy. Three weeks ago I went away for 5 days and returned to find my glass covered with them.

This weekend I removed over 500 with a long tweezer tool and the rocks are still covered with them.

Yesterday I had to take apart the Red Sea return valve as it wasn’t functioning properly and found a few snails inside. Once I cleaned the valve it worked perfectly.

What is causing them to reproduce like this and is there anyway to curtail it?

MixedFruitBasket · Aug 25, 2019

Do you have a reef or fish only?

Westside Guy · Aug 25, 2019

MixedFruitBasket said:
Do you have a reef or fish only?

Reef with softies and fish.

motortrendz · Aug 25, 2019

Guess they really really like your tank lol.

Westside Guy · Aug 25, 2019

motortrendz said:
Guess they really really like your tank lol.

Don't rub it in, they are taking over!

motortrendz · Aug 25, 2019

Lol. Guess you can take some of the big ones out. That'll limit their reproduction. Or atleast slow it down. I know my mulinarus wrasse loves snail eggs.

Justfebreezeit · Aug 25, 2019

Thats crazy! Do you not have a skimmer? When mine spawn only 3-4 seem to make it to adultish size, I wonder what the difference could be.

Westside Guy · Aug 25, 2019

Justfebreezeit said:
Thats crazy! Do you not have a skimmer? When mine spawn only 3-4 seem to make it to adultish size, I wonder what the difference could be.

Yes, I have the Red Sea RSK-300 skimmer.

jurgenph · Aug 25, 2019

and my LFS can't even get a hold of trochus snails ...

J.

Westside Guy · Aug 25, 2019

I offered to sell them back to my LFS and he laughed at the idea.

Too bad emerald crabs don't devour these little snails like they would with bubble algae.

vetteguy53081 · Aug 25, 2019

Crazy- people begging to get trochus and you have plenty to go around. LOL

Squeaky McMurdo · Aug 25, 2019

motortrendz said:
Lol. Guess you can take some of the big ones out. That'll limit their reproduction. Or atleast slow it down. I know my mulinarus wrasse loves snail eggs.

That’s good to know. I’m going to be taking in a melanarus wrasse from a local lady this week and my nerites can get a little obnoxious about laying eggs from time to time.

jda · Aug 25, 2019

If you just leave them, they will work it out. As they eat all of the food, some will die. Nature and supply and demand and stuff. You can always give them away or sell them - make lots of friends.

I have had them go crazy for periods and then when I wanted them to reproduce, they did nothing.

Westside Guy · Aug 25, 2019

jda said:
If you just leave them, they will work it out. As they eat all of the food, some will die. Nature and supply and demand and stuff. You can always give them away or sell them - make lots of friends.

I have had them go crazy for periods and then when I wanted them to reproduce, they did nothing.

I offered some to a neighbor who has a Waterbox Peninsular tank and she refused to take them she was afraid of an invasion.