Margarita Snails

[ryan80]

I have a 46g bowfront that has been up a few weeks (full cycled with over 50lbs of live rock and ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate all 0.) Fish are a sixline wrasse, and an ocel clown. Will add another ocel clown, and a gramma later today.
I had 10 astreas and 12 blue legs. I bought 10 more blue legs, 1 emerald crab, 2 peppermint shrimp (to eat the friggin Aiptasia), and 10 more snails yesterday from my LFS. I just wanted Astrea, but they were out. He sold me Margarita instead. i had heard that Margaritas often have problems because they are collected from colder deeper water off Baja, and don't survive long in aquariums. He said that these were collected in the Carribean and will be fine. i keep my heater at 76 (lights get it above that during the day). The snails are black, (except for botton of foot) with black shells. The apex of the shell is silver and they look very cool.
The owner of the LFS has been very good to me so far, and said that if they die, bring in the shells and he will replace with Astreas. Should I be worried about these snails? Any further suggestions on adding to the CUC? He said that Mexican Turbos are not needed in a tank my size.

 

[fishrn]

I like Margarita snails. The ones I have hd have lasted quite a long time. My tank temp is 80 to 82 at all times. I have never had a problem and they are always busy. The good thing is that you have the option of return if they don't work out.

 

[m0nk]

I've had margarita snails in my tanks since the beginning and found that they usually do in fact die after about 6-8 months in a regular reef tank while astraes don't. They are colder water snails, but if you acclimate properly you might even be able to make it to a year before having to replace them. Of course if this guy said to bring in the shells and he'll replace them with astaes, I'd take him up on it, margaritas are typically a lot cheaper.