helping my DSB

[jacksonpt]

I'm thinking about ordering a few fighting conches and nassarius snails to help maintain my DSB. I did a search and I just wanted to double check the info before I ordered. The fighting conches should help keep the DSB clean of algaes (diatoms) and the nassarius snails are burrowers and will slowly stir the sand, right?
I'd prefer to do business with SWF.com, but do they sell nassarius snails? They aren't listed on the u-build it page.
Thanks.

 

[radge69]

nassarius snails are a great addition for your tank and DSB. Excellent at clean up duties, and will help stir the sand a bit. Mine all bury themselves just under the top of the sand, and then when food hits the sand they are up and out roaming around. One of my favorite snails in the tank.

 

[jonthefb]

thay are carniverous snails, and tehy do a great job of cleaning up dead and dying matter, and do a great job at aeraetign the sandbed, but arent really dertirivores. really fun to watch though!
good luck
jon

 

[foulbrew]

The fighting conchs will burrough as well, sometimes for longer periods of time. They are like little vacuum cleaners and will do an outstanding job on diatoms. Definately get both - but no more than 1 conch for every two square feet of open sand.

 

[jacksonpt]

Thanks for the info everyone... from what I've read and what you've told me, these are the 2 critters I definitely need.
Foul brings up a good point... 1 conch for every 2sq/ft of sand. I have 2 square feet in my 44g reef and 6 square feet in my 75. So I'll need 1 conch for the 44, and 3 for the 75. What about nassarius snails? I know they are basically scavengers, so the amount of waste/excess will determine how many I need. My 44g reef sees mostly flake food, with occasional brine/mysis. Will they scavenge flake, or only meaty foods? My 75 sees all kinds of meaty foods, but rarely any scraps hit the bottom of the tank (that may chance when I get my trigger though). For the time being, I can add a little extra brine/mysis when I feed my anemone. I'm thinking 5-10 for the 44g tank, and 10-20 for the 75g tank. How's that sound?

 

[mlm]

Your trigger will attack and eat any snails or conchs that you put in your tank.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by mlm
Your trigger will attack and eat any snails or conchs that you put in your tank.
I have 2 triggers in my reef tank in the past without problems. I'm going to be adding a female bluejaw trigger to the tank. Now, I know it depends on the personality of the fish, but bluejaws are one of the more docile triggers. Are you saying that because it's the canned response when someone mentions triggers and inverts in the same sentance, or do you have experience with bluejaws eating shelled inverts?