Turbo snails are... AWESOME

[Sink_or_Swim]

I got an invasion of green hair algae a while ago after adding a new coral that had some on a rock (should've scrubbed it off first but was lazy). Then had what I believe is patches of cyano show up on my rock. So today I picked up a couple small emerald crabs (happily muching on the hair algae) and a huge turbo snail. YOU GUYS - the turbo has, in just a few hours, cleaned almost an entire rock of everything! It actually went after the cyano first and devoured it! WIN! lol (He is huge, so hopefully doesn't knock corals over, but I'm amazed at how much algae he's mowing through - he's putting my other snails to shame).

 

[Chrisv.]

They really are fantastic. The only downside is that if they don't have enough algae around, they will not survive. A single turbo can put consume a half dozen astrea.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Mexican turbos are amazing. If I run out of algae for them in my display, they go into my fuge until I need them again.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

They really are fantastic. The only downside is that if they don't have enough algae around, they will not survive. A single turbo can put consume a half dozen astrea.

Yeah I figured I may need to give this guy back to the store once he runs out of algae, which is fine. He's bigger than a golf ball, lol.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Top crown snails are better

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Yes they are awesome, UNTIL it does knock things off.

I've lost two torches, and a bunch of acans that were epoxied down to those bulldozers leaving them face down in the sand.

 

[Lavey29]

Yea turbos and urchins are the best.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Theyre called grazers for a reason and their smaller version Astrea snails do well also

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Top crown snails are better

What are those?

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Theyre called grazers for a reason and their smaller version Astrea snails do well also

Maybe I'll return gigantor once he's done cleaning up my tank, and get some astrea instead. I currently have about 15-20 dwarf cerith, 4 or 5 tongan nassarius, and maybe 5 decent sized nerite snails. They just don't get through much. Loving these little emerald crabs too - they look like they're in a food coma, then start chomping down more hair algae, lol!

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Yea turbos and urchins are the best.

I really want an urchin - my lfs had some really cool purple and red pincushion urchins that were super active. Might have to get one later on.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Yes they are awesome, UNTIL it does knock things off.

I've lost two torches, and a bunch of acans that were epoxied down to those bulldozers leaving them face down in the sand.

I've heard they can do that, and considering the one I got is huge, I will need to keep an eye on it. Luckily I don't have anything glued down yet... so I moved corals around a bit so he *hopefully* won't knock any to their death.

 

[Lp1977]

yeah they're an awesome addition to CUC but the will knock off any and all corals that aren't FULLY encrusted to live rock or rack. May not be an issue for small tanks but have a large turbo knock off a big $ frag in a large display packed with rock and flow and then try to locate the frag. Good luck been there done that one too many times. Anyway no more large turbos for me!

 

[ReefGuy1234]

I got an invasion of green hair algae a while ago after adding a new coral that had some on a rock (should've scrubbed it off first but was lazy). Then had what I believe is patches of cyano show up on my rock. So today I picked up a couple small emerald crabs (happily muching on the hair algae) and a huge turbo snail. YOU GUYS - the turbo has, in just a few hours, cleaned almost an entire rock of everything! It actually went after the cyano first and devoured it! WIN! lol (He is huge, so hopefully doesn't knock corals over, but I'm amazed at how much algae he's mowing through - he's putting my other snails to shame).

SAME thing happened to me. I got hair algae from high phosphates. This kind guy had given me a lot of coral and one came with a turbo snail. When I had woke up I saw that 1 little turbo CLEARED a whole rock all by him self. When I saw that I bought all the ones at my LFS lol

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

yeah they're an awesome addition to CUC but the will knock off any and all corals that aren't FULLY encrusted to live rock or rack. May not be an issue for small tanks but have a large turbo knock off a big $ frag in a large display packed with rock and flow and then try to locate the frag. Good luck been there done that one too many times. Anyway no more large turbos for me!

I luckily haven't really decided where I want to glue things down yet, so moved all loose frags off the rocks. Fingers crossed he doesn't try to dislodge my large colony of white wood clove polyps though.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Trochus snails are better than astreas, IMO.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

SAME thing happened to me. I got hair algae from high phosphates. This kind guy had given me a lot of coral and one came with a turbo snail. When I had woke up I saw that 1 little turbo CLEARED a whole rock all by him self. When I saw that I bought all the ones at my LFS lol

I believe it! This guy cleared a BIG rock of algae and a big blanket of cyano, in such a short time! Then moved onto the back wall, and looks like he's taking a nap now. Lol. I got the hair algae from the rock a leather I'd purchased came on. It was tinted green and I was like "eh, it'll be ok"... yeah right, a few weeks later that grew into hair algae that then spread. Ugh. But it's fun watching the turbo and the emerald crabs destroy it!

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Trochus snails are better than astreas, IMO.

Are trochus the ones that can right themselves if they fall over? I need those - I don't like flipping my nerites over when one occasionally falls.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Nerites usually can right themselves. Trochus/turban are pointy but in my experience, can usually right themselves. The only ones I've had that issue with are astreas.