time for snails

[LeslieS]

Amonia and nitrite are at 0. Going to do my first WC this weekend to take care of Nitrate, and then will be ready for some snails.

What kind should I get.

I would like some money cowries, but cannot find anyone selling them. Tiger Cowrie is too big at this point. Just because they are pretty

I would like a few Turban snails (trochus snails) good climbers and can turn themselves over if they land upside down

and a few turbo snails (small size) good for sandy areas

Do these sound like good choices?

 

[jhale]

maybe sean at aquatic creations can get the money coweries, or ronen at deepwater extreme.

tiger coweries are not a good reef choice they will knock everything over and also need some meat in thier diet.

you should also introduce a few sand criters like nassarius snails.

check out reeftopia.com

 

[LeslieS]

Sean or Ronen, any idea on the money coweries? Are they really expensive? Hard to find? Please send me a PM if you can get them.

Nassarius snails are pretty, but I also want to get some hermit crabs and apparently they love to eat nassarius snails more than anything. Also, Nassarius are not grazers - book says they eat carrion. For now, I only need grazers.

What about ceriths? my sand bed is only about 1 1/2 in deep. Is that deep enough for them?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

My Nass snails eat everything, They climb the glass eating the stuff on the glass, on the LR and the detrius on / in the sand. They are also one of the best critters to turn your sandbed over.

 

[House of Laughter]

Leslie,

While all good advice in the posts above, you should define what works best for your application.

Personally, (and at this point in time) I think a handful of turbos (12) and nassarius (20 vibex) are all you'd need. If you get a hair algea problem from moving too fast, a mexican turbo or two will work as well (now they are ones that knock stuff over).

and just as an FYI - I have had a tiger cowrie for over 4 years and I have never seen it knock anything over - it spends most of it's time lately tucked behing the head of the TUNZE. I have never fed it anything and it hasn't really grown (that I can measure) since I bought it.

Here is a stick image in case you are considering one - and I can get one for you along with the nassarius and turbos. They come in typically around 1.5" long and 3/4" wide.

House

 

[jhale]

that small I could see in a tank.

I ordered some tiger coweries once and I got 4"-5" sized ones.
they were like tractors in the tank. I had 5 of them in my 55 gallon,
they did not last long

 

[House of Laughter]

J, no wonder why - I would never sell that sized snail to anyone - way too big for captivity.

House

 

[jhale]

yes, this was before MR, and RC ...

they did a good job on the hair algea in the tank, lol

 

[LeslieS]

OK, I checked a few more web sites.

First - I cannot believe how many vendors just call their snails whatever!

2nd - quite a few still said that nass snails will not eat algae. I don't want to starve my little snail babies, so I need a sand turner that does eat algae. I'll keep reading.

I have read some good reviews about the monies - supposedly very durable in the aquarium - so I am still going to try for those as a grazer. And I think their pretty. Again, I'll keep reading.

Is it weird to get only 5 of a couple of different types and see how they do?

 

[Deanos]

2nd - quite a few still said that nass snails will not eat algae. I don't want to starve my little snail babies, so I need a sand turner that does eat algae. I'll keep reading.

Not alot of algae grows on sand, therefore, finding a sand-turner that eats algae is difficult. Perhaps a fighting conch, depending on the size of the tank.

More info here: ORA Conch

 

[House of Laughter]

Leslie,

While I think Conch's are nice additions to a tank, I only have 2 in my 180 they can grow as much as 2.5" and that's a big snail - and yes, they are one of the only diatom and algae eating snails out there, so, at best, One in your tank would suffice.

And, with nassarius in your sand bed from the start, you'll be better off (JMO)

As for crabs, red leg (scarlets) are the best for not having the crabs go house robbing - they are less predatorial than blue legs or hawaiin zebras.

I prefer a mix of snails in my tank - I have Turbos(astreas) Trochus, nassarius vibex and 2 conch. Aside from that, whatever grows is in there too - I have a gazillion stomatella's and other miniature snails that grew out of nowhere.

House

 

[LeslieS]

Ok, so I need a total of about 30 snails to start.

How about
8 nassarius vibex
8 turbans (trochus)
8 money cowries (ronen is checking)
8 ceriths

I also need two more big pieces of live rock and some small baseball/tennisball size pieces - preferably well seeded as I left mine out of the water and killed it :-(

I will wait on the hermits - I agree about getting the scarlets. I read up on the blue legs, and they are jerky little guys! Once I am actually feeding my tank, I'll add some.

If anyone has these for sale or can get these, please send me a pm!!!