Lost another snail

[karenm]

Yesterday I noticed another empty shell. So far I've lost about 6 snails (both large and small), still have 8 on the glass on the sides (afraid to come down?). I also had 4 nassarius snails and 2 larch conch snails that I can't find. One of the conch's used to come out of the sand when I fed them, but I haven't seen in awhile.
Since the shells are empty, would it be the hermit crabs killing them? I have a skunk cleaner shimp and a peppermint shrimp. Would I be OK if I got rid of the hermits?

 

[miaheatlvr]

Yo need the hermits, do you have empty shells for the hermies? Hows your water quality? especially salinity , and what was you acclimation process? EVERYBODY HERE has lost snails from time to time, dont fret or get discouraged.

 

[aztec reef]

First you need to find out if your hermits are your problem, then if they're i would get rid of them..I've had a few hermits that turned out to be Hostil but those hermits were gone long time ago(blue hermits)..Now i just keep hermits such as red legged and scarlets..YOU Don't NEED hermits if you don't want them.. that's not going to make your clean up tank less efficient..Aslong as you have a good assorment of snails and other critters to make up your cleaning crew...

 

[karenm]

My levels are good, except my salinity was down a little yesterday. I mixed up some more water and will add it tonight.
There's at least 6 empty shells in there.

I have a horseshoe crab (bought him before I found out my tank's too small), but he doesn't seem to bother the snails.
I bought all the snails at different times, from different places, but I usually acclimate them all the same - I float the bag for about 20 min, open the bag and add about 1/3 of the amount of their water in tank water to the bag. After about 20 min I add another 1/3 of tank water. They're in the tank in probably a little over an hour. The one that died most recently was one of the original snails - I'd had him about a month.
Do you think my nassarius and conch snails are under the sand somewhere? I haven't seen any empty conch shells, but I wouldn't if they died under the sand.

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
First you need to find out if your hermits are your problem, then if they're i would get rid of them..I've had a few hermits that turned out to be Hostil but those hermits were gone long time ago(blue hermits)..Now i just keep hermits such as red legged and scarlets..YOU Don't NEED hermits if you don't want them.. that's not going to make your clean up tank less efficient..Aslong as you have a good assorment of snails and other critters to make up your cleaning crew...
I strongly disagree, I feel that my hermits are the most valuble member of my cleaning crew, constantly scouring and savaging for any left-overs. It is said that the blue-legs are more agressive than the red legs if that makes any difference to you.

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by KarenM
My levels are good, except my salinity was down a little yesterday. I mixed up some more water and will add it tonight.
There's at least 6 empty shells in there.

I have a horseshoe crab (bought him before I found out my tank's too small), but he doesn't seem to bother the snails.
I bought all the snails at different times, from different places, but I usually acclimate them all the same - I float the bag for about 20 min, open the bag and add about 1/3 of the amount of their water in tank water to the bag. After about 20 min I add another 1/3 of tank water. They're in the tank in probably a little over an hour. The one that died most recently was one of the original snails - I'd had him about a month.
Do you think my nassarius and conch snails are under the sand somewhere? I haven't seen any empty conch shells, but I wouldn't if they died under the sand.
Nassarius snail and Conchs like to dig and bury themselves so not seeing them is quite normal.

 

[lovecraft]

Extra shells are a good idea, get more than 6 however, got some from my LFS for free, just ask yours. They don't use any of the Trochus/Astrea shells, but like any old cerith ones, I'm sure they will habitate in other shell types, but mine don't like the Trochus. I have Scarlets and Bluelegs and IMHO the scarlets tend to be more a aggressive. Make sure your salinity is not too low. I've read that snails and crabs can't handle fluctuations as easy as fish.

 

[vpotts28]

I have found that if you rapidly change your salinity, you will lose the snails. They are very delicate, so you need to top your water off everyday, and make sure your change water is comparable to the salinity of the tank.

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by MiaHeatLvr
I strongly disagree, I feel that my hermits are the most valuble member of my cleaning crew, constantly scouring and savaging for any left-overs. It is said that the blue-legs are more agressive than the red legs if that makes any difference to you.
It does make a difference to me and it's called Experience...Now, i agree on the part that your hermits are valuble menber of a cleaning crew..But they're NOT as critical as Snails..
Think about this: hermits are SCAVANGERS and what do scavangers do? Scavange, and what do they do when there's no detrius or uneaten foods left for them to scavange?.. Who do they scavange ON? and what do they scavange ON?
if snails and hermits are your ONLY clean up crew then moslikely they will be valuable, But if you have a high # of snails, slugs,shimps,crabs,ect.. sorry but IMO they're worthless...My loyalty stays with Scarlets

 

[karenm]

Hmm. How do I raise the salinity in the tank if my top-off water is the same?

 

[karenm]

Aztek - I don't have an enormous cleanup crew (and it's getting smaller every day). I'd say I have 8-10 snails left (not counting the ones hiding in the sand), maybe 6 or 7 hermit crabs, the horseshoe crab, and the 2 shrimp.
And they're definitely not starving - I feed them almost every day with different combinations of frozen mysis shrimp, frozen squid, the paper-sheet like pieces of marine algae, spirulina cubes, and frozen brine shrimp.

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
It does make a difference to me and it's called Experience...Now, i agree on the part that your hermits are valuble menber of a cleaning crew..But they're NOT as critical as Snails..
Think about this: hermits are SCAVANGERS and what do scavangers do? Scavange, and what do they do when there's no detrius or uneaten foods left for them to scavange?.. Who do they scavange ON? and what do they scavange ON?
if snails and hermits are your ONLY clean up crew then moslikely they will be valuable, But if you have a high # of snails, slugs,shimps,crabs,ect.. sorry but IMO they're worthless...My loyalty stays with Scarlets

Well from my EXPERIENCE, I feel that hermits are just as valuable to a reef system as snails, There is always left over food or detrius in the average tank for them to consume. I agree the scarlets are the least agressive and if you had to choose from the two take the scarlets. I also do not feel that they target snails, but as a very last resort due to hunger or shell change. If anything dies in your tank GOD forbid, who are the first responders on the scene, your hermies? Who are the first responders to let you KNOW IF there is anything dead in your tank? Hermies!

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by KarenM
Hmm. How do I raise the salinity in the tank if my top-off water is the same?
Karen it is simple to raise you salinity by when you have evaporation, Dont top off with fresh water but rather with salt water, this will gradually raise your salinity to your desired affect.

 

[aztec reef]

it's Aztec...Karen .So in your case you can keep those hermits and find out what the culprit of the death toll is, then fix it...
You must know how much water needs to be replenished daily in order to keep water level and salinity constant, and yes fluctuations on Salinity will kill Critters..But if that ain't the problem then you tell me waht ii is...

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by KarenM
Hmm. How do I raise the salinity in the tank if my top-off water is the same?
You don't drip-add the same salinity water...It has to be a little higher than your tank. and ONLY raise the salinity slowlly, one point a day..

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by MiaHeatLvr
Well from my EXPERIENCE, I feel that hermits are just as valuable to a reef system as snails, There is always left over food or detrius in the average tank for them to consume. I agree the scarlets are the least agressive and if you had to choose from the two take the scarlets. I also do not feel that they target snails, but as a very last resort due to hunger or shell change. If anything dies in your tank GOD forbid, who are the first responders on the scene, your hermies? Who are the first responders to let you KNOW IF there is anything dead in your tank? Hermies!

You tell me then, what has been killing the snails.. hey.. maybe you have more EXPERIENCE then me..

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
You tell me then, what has been killing the snails.. hey.. maybe you have more EXPERIENCE then me..

Couldnt tell you, Experience Meister, lol

 

[vpotts28]

Originally Posted by KarenM
Hmm. How do I raise the salinity in the tank if my top-off water is the same?
Karen, when you top your water off everyday, make sure you are just using plain ro/di water. No salt should accompany that top off water. When water in your tank evaporates no salt (or very little) is taken with it. That means everyday you let water evaporate and don't fill it to the appropriate level the salinity in your tank rises. Mine can fluctuate from 1.025 to 1.026 in a day, so imagine if I let that go for 3-4 days. I do not have an auto top off so I replace water as soon as I get home everynight. Snails can't take the punishment of lowering salinity all at once, they go in shock.
Or if you need to raise the salinity in your tank do what Miami said to do, but do it very slowly don't pour it in all at once.

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by MiaHeatLvr
Couldnt tell you, Experience Meister, lol

You better recognize!!

 

[m0nk]

Everyone has differing opinions about hermit crabs. Personally they bother me since I've lost several snails to them as well. You don't "need" them, nor do you "need" to get rid of them. It's all personal preference, and if you can't find another cause, you can choose whether you like the snails more than the hermits and keep one or the other or just replenish your stock. I've found that all too many times, no matter how many empty shells you have, hermits still like going after snails.