Losing snails

[Alexxn]

can it be they are dying of starvation

There is plenty of algae....

 

[Alexxn]

There are a lot of possibilities, but when several of just one species die out of a group of many different animals, that narrows them down a bit. The temp might be a cause. Also, you might not have acclimated them well enough, or they could have been a sick group from the lfs. Have you done any major water changes recently?

I drip acclimated them along with the rest of the cleanup crew....just did a 6 gal water change on Sunday but this happened before then...I haven't had any other casualties, and my LFS replaced the dead ones so we shall see...

 

[PalmTree]

I agree with the hermit crab theory. I'm trying to look for a picture of a tiny hermit crab yanking a nice sized turbo snail out of its shell and feasting on him. Its out there somewhere and I'll post it if I find it! :biggrin:

 

[e.muehlbauer]

In my experience, hermits do not kill healthy snails, although they will investigate them. However, the moment there is a decline in the health of the snail, they will go after them. My guess is that the snails, for whatever reason, were already beginning to decline when the hermits got to them and finished them off. Now what kinds of snails were these? Trochus, turbo, or Astrea? Both Trochus and Astrea are conical...Trochus somewhat prettier and faster, and supposedly able to right themselves if they fall. But they are also (again, in my experience) less hardy than other snails. Turbo's are round, and can be very hardy...they can also die very suddenly for no apparent reason. Astrea's are probably the hardiest. Now....astreas and turbos have trouble righting themselves if they fall. They can do it if near the rockwork, but not if they are on the open bottom. In their struggles, they leave themselves open to hermits. Perhaps they will tuck in in time, and the hermit may inadvertently right them. But, if they struggle too long, and gradually weaken, well....our hermit has a new house. Take care, Eric

 

[meschaefer]

In my experience, hermits do not kill healthy snails, although they will investigate them. However, the moment there is a decline in the health of the snail, they will go after them. My guess is that the snails, for whatever reason, were already beginning to decline when the hermits got to them and finished them off. Now what kinds of snails were these? Trochus, turbo, or Astrea? Both Trochus and Astrea are conical...Trochus somewhat prettier and faster, and supposedly able to right themselves if they fall. But they are also (again, in my experience) less hardy than other snails. Turbo's are round, and can be very hardy...they can also die very suddenly for no apparent reason. Astrea's are probably the hardiest. Now....astreas and turbos have trouble righting themselves if they fall. They can do it if near the rockwork, but not if they are on the open bottom. In their struggles, they leave themselves open to hermits. Perhaps they will tuck in in time, and the hermit may inadvertently right them. But, if they struggle too long, and gradually weaken, well....our hermit has a new house. Take care, Eric

You need to have a talk with my hermits, they don't care if the snail is dead, sick or healthy. They just want to try out a new home.

 

[marki24]

I would also believe the fact that since your tank is young they might be dying of starvation. You basically dont have anything for the snails to thrive on.

 

[Reefer420]

you can buy algae sheets for them right? i'm worried about starving my snails too. Just got a new shipment of 30 snails and 25 hermits (now that my tank is sans mantis) and wouldn't want them to die off- after reading this i backed down the temp on my tank from 79 to 76.

i finally have life back in my tank !!!

 

[marki24]

I have my temp set to 79 and i dont have a problem with my hermit crabs or snails dying. Actually my snails are reproducing.