Nassarius Snails

[cam78]

I got 2 fancy Nassarius snails yesterday. One of them buried itself right into the substrate and I haven't seen it since. The other really hasn't done much, today it buried itself only half way into the sand but hasn't really moved since. These suckers are huge by the way about 2 - 2 1/2 inches.
How do I know if it they have died or not? Will it die under all the sand because I have no idea where it is.
As for the one sticking out, I don't really want to bother it but I'm a little worried.
Heres the dumb part....Im embarrassed to say but I kinda just temp. acclimated it and placed it in the tank. I usually do that with snails and crabs and haven't had a problem before.
I know you can smell them but I don't know how they should be acting, should they be mowing along or stationary?

 

[hot883]

They will stay under the sand until it gets dark and then come up. Mine would come up when I fed the tank. Great sand stirrers. I had the small ones and like 250 of them in my 125 gallon.

Barry

 

[cam78]

Craziest thing just happened, after I wrote that message I go look at my tank and see the "buried" snail came up, took the silverside fish from my brain coral and was having a fight with a hermit over the silverside. The other one moved slightly and stayed half way buried. This snail ate a 1 inch piece of a silverside in less than 7 minutes. Holy crap! Then it buried itself again. Sucks for the brain.

 

[seannmelly]

do these snails eat hair algea? i dont think they do but a fellow member is telling me they do. we have a trade in the workings and im getting these snails but i dont want them if they dont eat hair algea. i think they are the same 1's i already have and they burry themselves in the sand. any help?

 

[hot883]

primarily eat detrius and left over food. Never seen mine eating algea.

 

[cam78]

Now my hermit is trying to kill the lazy Nassarius for his shell. If I put the crab in a tuberware container will it die overnight? I want to give him to the LFS and get maybe two smaller ones. This thing has a big shell in the first place, now he wants a huge one. Any ideas how I could quaritine him overnight?

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by CAM78
Now my hermit is trying to kill the lazy Nassarius for his shell. If I put the crab in a tuberware container will it die overnight? I want to give him to the LFS and get maybe two smaller ones. This thing has a big shell in the first place, now he wants a huge one. Any ideas how I could quaritine him overnight?
Put him in a small container with a little water. he will be fine overnight.

 

[bjlled]

My hermits took at least one of the 8 that i bought in the first 24 hours. The snails are so dumb, they just trot right near the hermits. Playin with death I tell ya.

 

[cam78]

Thanks hot. Whats with this snail though? Is it dieing or does it need time? The other as mentioned before sems to be better than the other.
Also, with out heat the crab will be alright? Should I cap it?

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by CAM78
Thanks hot. Whats with this snail though? Is it dieing or does it need time? The other as mentioned before sems to be better than the other.
Also, with out heat the crab will be alright? Should I cap it?
Room temp. will be fine. They get shipped in boxes with no heat. Some snails will take longer than others to come to 100%. He should be alright just watch him.

 

[cam78]

Thanks for your help.

 

[hot883]

No problem. :happyfish

 

[jesses89]

if you bought some extra empty shells and placed them in your tank in the open..... your hermits will not bother the snails.

 

[cam78]

I did that already, there are empties sitting there, I just dont think they are big enough for him. I would have to get him a shoe box to be happy I think.