Snails.
- Thread starter hunt
- Start date
hunt
Active Member
well, right now im getting 2 peppermint shrimps to take care of some leftover aiptasia,(hoping my little valentini puffer wont harm them) I also have two turbo snails and a small hermit and tons of tiny rice grain sized baby snails wich never make it long cause the puffer likes to eat small snails. Those are the only inverts that the puffer has bothered to, and a long spine urchin wich is safe in a 75 g now. So how many of wich ones would you reccomend?
garick
Member
If you have puffers. They will most likely eat any sort of invert that goes into the tank. If your having problems with aptasia, you should consider injection, or mouth feeding methods to kill them off.
Once the puffer grows, anything can become its dinner. Besides the fact that many of the peppermint shrimp are from cold waters so placing them in most home aquariums ends up giving them a very short lifespan.
Once the puffer grows, anything can become its dinner. Besides the fact that many of the peppermint shrimp are from cold waters so placing them in most home aquariums ends up giving them a very short lifespan.
hunt
Active Member
Im moving him into a 75 gallon soon. And i was going to get a pepermint shrimp to kill the small ones that just pop up and i never notice for some reason until it gets to bi. haha
Back to the original question, how many snails of what kind would you reccomend for a 29g reef tank.
Back to the original question, how many snails of what kind would you reccomend for a 29g reef tank.
S
saxman
Guest
i'd start light, then adjust once you see what you need, but here goes:Turbo: (0) unless you have a HA issue, then (1).
bumblebee: (0) these are predatory whelks and will eat your beneficial microfauna.
Margarita: (0) these are temperate species that will die soon in warmer water.
Nassarius: (2-3)
Astrea, Trochus, Nerite, Cerith: (3 each)
run with that, and see which snails you like and which ones work the best for your particular setup. you can always adjust after that. stocking lightly means that your CUC won't starve back to the proper levels, which is what happens if you overstock.
HTH
bumblebee: (0) these are predatory whelks and will eat your beneficial microfauna.
Margarita: (0) these are temperate species that will die soon in warmer water.
Nassarius: (2-3)
Astrea, Trochus, Nerite, Cerith: (3 each)
run with that, and see which snails you like and which ones work the best for your particular setup. you can always adjust after that. stocking lightly means that your CUC won't starve back to the proper levels, which is what happens if you overstock.
HTH
J
jstdv8
Guest
cranberry, I read on a site about snails recently that bumblebees are good bacause they can get into small places and eat detrius. Any thoughts on that?
OP,
I like my new turbos, and am going to get a few nassarius snails for the sand.
I have tons of margaritas, borderline worthless IMO.
OP,
I like my new turbos, and am going to get a few nassarius snails for the sand.
I have tons of margaritas, borderline worthless IMO.
cranberry
Active Member
Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3233735
cranberry, I read on a site about snails recently that bumblebees are good bacause they can get into small places and eat detrius. Any thoughts on that?
No thoughts except I disagree.
Ask them were they heard that.... I bet I'll chuckle at their response if they tell the truth.
They don't have the internal structure to digest anything but meat. The meat found primarily in their guts was snails and worms. That's a fact. They are primarily predators, they like to hunt for food. Now, if their live food source runs low, I'm sure they chew on some freshly dead stuff, but they aren't detritus or algae eaters.
There are some super cool small snails that would fit the bill PERFECTLY. Lemme go dig up some of my pics of my guys.
http:///forum/post/3233735
cranberry, I read on a site about snails recently that bumblebees are good bacause they can get into small places and eat detrius. Any thoughts on that?
No thoughts except I disagree.
They don't have the internal structure to digest anything but meat. The meat found primarily in their guts was snails and worms. That's a fact. They are primarily predators, they like to hunt for food. Now, if their live food source runs low, I'm sure they chew on some freshly dead stuff, but they aren't detritus or algae eaters.
There are some super cool small snails that would fit the bill PERFECTLY. Lemme go dig up some of my pics of my guys.
cranberry
Active Member
Wait now.... did YOU read this on a non-forum site? If it's a site that sells them, it's a common common misconception. And for some reason it's not a misconception they want to correct.
Like margarita snails.... I don't get it. Why are these still being sold as a warm water snail.
Like margarita snails.... I don't get it. Why are these still being sold as a warm water snail.
cranberry
Active Member
To the left an adult "Dwarf Cerith". Great algae and detritus consumers below the substrate. You will see them on the rocks and occasionally on the glass, but they are most under the sand.
To the right, the mini nassarius. Will eat carrion.... dead and dying. Will not eat detritus.
Adult size Planaxis... detritus, algae.
I can't find a pick of the small periwinkles, but they're cool as well.
bang guy
Moderator
In my opinion the best overall Snail mixture is Stomatella, Cerith, and Collonista.
My only issue with Bumblebee Snails is that there are over a dozen different species and more than half of them are predators.
True Nassarius are fun to watch as they pop out of the sand bed and motor around but Fireworms are a lot more efficient and easier to keep to remove carrion.
My only issue with Bumblebee Snails is that there are over a dozen different species and more than half of them are predators.
True Nassarius are fun to watch as they pop out of the sand bed and motor around but Fireworms are a lot more efficient and easier to keep to remove carrion.