about turbo snails

[gregzbobo]

Do these guys die whenever they get overturned? Any ideas why if this is the case?

 

[carrie1429]

Sometimes they do die if they land on their backs because their shell is probably heavy so they cannot overturn themselves. They often fall off rocks if they get in the water current and fall and get wedged in between the rocks. They will sometimes slip off the glass because its not a natural surface for them, I mean there isn't any glass in the ocean.

 

[surfnturf]

Yes indeed they do die, why this is the case, unnatural environment. Really, it leaves me wondering why these are so highly recommended. There are much better alternatives, one of which usually rides in on live rock for free "stomatella varia". Turbos usually end up promoting nitrates due to their death, don't really see the logic, they don't do that great a job in the first place.

 

[surfnturf]

mnreefman, I'm glad yours work good for you. Now that I think back, I was upset cuz the petstore that sold me the turbos told me that they would help clean up Cyano. They wouldn't touch that, I was about to fire them, but then they fell on their backs and died. I don't get cyano anymore, and the stomatellas keep up with the nuisance algae, so I never got anymore Turbos. I'm sure they work for most people though, otherwise they wouldn't sell them. Maybe you could superglue roll bars on their backs.

 

[diceman]

The word (TURBO) in describing snails is too general and may confuse people. The turbo/Astrea snail is small and when it falls on it's back can't ride itself back up and may die. The Mexican turbo snails are much larger and will wipe out the red slime algea in a heary beat. The reason most people will have both in their tanks is that the Astrea turbos get into small places where the Mexican Turbos can't get to. So some may say the TURBO snails stink because they die when they land on their backs, they must be talking about the Astrea and not the Mexican turbos. I have both in mine and by far the Mexican Turbos have taken care of some bad red slime problem I had. I would highly recommend them to everyone.

 

[ntvflgirl]

Is it possible to put a combination of both, or maybe all 3 in the tank? Are they all compatible? That way you could kill 2 birds with one stone, or, 3 in this case . And also, will they get along with a Sally Lightfoot?

 

[carrie1429]

Its ok to mix them, I mix the turbo and the astrea with no problems so you could probably mix all three. I don't think the sally light foot will bother the snails, at least while its small anyway, I have never had any personal experience though.

 

[diceman]

I have Mexican turbos, astrea turbos, 1 sally lightfoot and 2 emrald crabs, a few red leg and blue leg crabs and all seem to get along. You do need to have extra shells for the red and blue leg crabs or they will kill the snails for their shells.