Turbo Snails dying

[ging]

I have had about 5 turbo snail die in the last month. I have Bumble Bee and Astrea snails and they seem to be doing fine. Is there something that I need to look for or do they just do that??

ging

 

[zt allstar]

How are you acclimating? They have really sensitive internal organs and a fast change in SG could do them in.

 

[2poor2reef]

How large is your system and how much do they have to eat? How old is your system? We often stock up during algae outbreaks and then maintain these populations after the algae subsides. Like all ecosystems things will die to bring the food supply back into balance.

 

[jethro]

I used to have that problem with Turbos until I learned that they need aclimated over a long period of time.

They are very sensitive. Another thing to keep in mind is the pet store my not have acclimated them properly.

They need calcium and iodine levels to be maintained. If I am not keeping up with that, they get sluggish to almost inactive.

 

[jethro]

Here is a good article. Half way down the page is a paragraph about why aclimation is so critical with these guys.

The article actually says " Acclimation time may need to be on the order of five to 10
hours for maximal survival".

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/july/wb/default.asp

[ July 18, 2001: Message edited by: jethro ]

 

[naesco]

Measure your salinity and then take a sample to another reefer or the LFS to verify same.
In addition to acclimatization, low salinity can cause this problem. Mine is at 35 gm/litre

pm (1.026) If it is too low raise it up slowly.

 

[ging]

I have had my tank for 5 mths and it is 60 gal. I will check the salinity, calcium and iodine levels tomorrow and go the LFS and have them do the same. I would say that my problem is the acclimatization, I got 4 of them 2 weeks ago and gave about a hour to sit and add water slowly. Poor little guys, obviously I went to fast

I have about 10 total mix of turbo, bumble bee and Astrea snails. Is that to many or not enough? I feed my fish mysis one day and flake the next and do not clean the back glass so they will have something to eat. I will read the above article and get some more info on them. Thanks for all the info will take a different approach on the next batch.

ging

 

[naesco]

I would recommend you stay away from the Astrea snails.
They fall off the glass or rock and have difficulty turning over again. This activity attracts the hermits who have a happy meal.

 

[ging]

I dont have any hermits, they kinda creep me out for some reason

Should I get some for the tank ?? I will also stay away from the astera from now on

ging

 

[naesco]

I wouldn't put anything I don't like in my tank. There are so much stuff out there that I do like. On the other hand one or two hermits are interesting to watch.

 

[ging]

I will look at them again when im at the LFS

I will try to have a more open mind about them this time... heheh
Thanks for the info !!

ging

 

[CnT]

I had a problem with my snails dying one by one... the culprit was a 3" teddybear crab tat came in with some LR... after some poking around i finally skewered the bugger n fed him to my picasso... since then the remaining snails r all fine...

HTH...