Dead hermits and snails

[lacey]

I bought an established 90 gal tank about a month ago. I have live rock, anemone, coral, two clowns, 4 blue chromis, a lawnmower blenny, peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp serpent star, and a black spiny urchin. About a week ago I started finding empty hermit shells. At 1st I thought they were just molting but all the shells have holes in them. Could something be killing them?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lacey http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521067
I bought an established 90 gal tank about a month ago. I have live rock, anemone, coral, two clowns, 4 blue chromis, a lawnmower blenny, peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp serpent star, and a black spiny urchin. About a week ago I started finding empty hermit shells. At 1st I thought they were just molting but all the shells have holes in them. Could something be killing them?
Hi,
Hermits grow and need larger shells to move into, if they don't, then the critter dies. The eaters of the dead (bristle worms) get to them and clean them up. Also the hermits kill snails for their shells.

 

[lacey]

Would that cause holes in every shell that is left behind?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lacey http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521080
Would that cause holes in every shell that is left behind?
Is it possible you are seeing shells resurfacing after the sand got stirred up? If the hermits died a while back, the eaters would eventually work away at it. Also if the hermit died because they were too large for their shell, a thin area may have developed, making an area the eaters would get through. I have seen shells with holes in them when I had a reef, I never thought much about it, but I did start dropping bigger shells in the tank for the hermits, in hopes they would leave the snails alone.
To be honest the loss of the hermits is actually a good thing, I have since found that snails of different varieties do a much better job of being the CUC (Clean Up Crew), and they don't pilfer the shells of other tank mates.

 

[tthemadd1]

Agree on the snails. There are snails for everything it seems.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521090
Agree on the snails. There are snails for everything it seems.
Do you have moon lights on your system? The eaters come out at night, if there are any predators in the tank, the moon lights will allow you to see what it is, and where it's hanging out in the rocks so you can remove it.

 

[lacey]

Thanks flower! I agree about the snails. I like them better also. I have only had this setup for about a month but it has been established for 4 years before me. So who knows. I'll just keep watching and see what happens.

 

[scsinet]

Holes in the shells? Mantis Shrimp?

 

[tthemadd1]

Whelks moon snails? Different snails drill holes in other snails to "soften them up".

 

[tthemadd1]

I thought Mantis were more like the Hulk. Smash it to smithereens.

 

[scsinet]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521358
I thought Mantis were more like the Hulk. Smash it to smithereens.
Dunno. I've never actually seen their "work" first hand. Thought it was worth mentioning though....

 

[saxman]

Yes, most of the time mantids smash the shells of their meals...at least enuff to pry out the meat, but I've never seen them make clean holes. As tthemadd1 mentioned, the offending critter is most likely a whelk species that uses its radula to bore into the victim's shell.
What types of snails do you have in your tank?

 

[tthemadd1]

Whelk damage. Pretty cool they inject a digestive acid into the shell to weaken the snail so they can pull the shell open.

 

[flower]

Wow...I never thought of whelks doing something like that! I wonder if I had them back when I kept a reef and never realized it. I do kind of remember seeing a swirly shelled critter, and was told they were bad...but I didn't know why back then, and nobody ever said they bored holes....I never seen it again to get it out, and forgot about it.

 

[saxman]

This is why you always see folks being warned about keeping predatory whelks and moonsnails.

 

[lacey]

The only snails I have are a conch margarita snails turbo snails and bumble bee snails that I know of.

 

[saxman]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lacey http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521487
The only snails I have are a conch margarita snails turbo snails and bumble bee snails that I know of.
If you have bumble bee snails, you have predatory whelks in your tank, but they normally feed on the small worms and other micro fauna in your tank...I've never seen one tank down a larger snail. Also, if your margartia snails begin dying off, it's because they're not a tropical species, and generally don't do well above about 68*F.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lacey http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521487
The only snails I have are a conch margarita snails turbo snails and bumble bee snails that I know of.
Ah...now there is the key "That you know of". That's why I hate getting new live rock, you never know what little coral nipping, parasite like plague, or meat eating hitchhiker is hiding in it.

 

[lacey]

I bought the tank already stocked. So I only know about what I've seen or been told. I've only had it about a month.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lacey http:///t/395490/dead-hermits-and-snails#post_3521495
I bought the tank already stocked. So I only know about what I've seen or been told. I've only had it about a month.
LOL...That's all any of us have. If you happen to see a snail with a swirl shell, just reach in...after you rinse your hands of any contaminates, and get it out while you can spot it. There are worse things that lurk in rock, bobbit worms, and flat worms...a whelk snail is not all that bad in comparison. Also we are only speculating....nobody has seen anything. It's all part of the hobby.