Why Do My Snails Keep Dying

[superman1]

Hello

i have currently 13 turbo snails, 2 are currently dead.

now the problem im having is when i have a look in the tank i notice some may have fallen off the rock and unfortunately they cannot right them selfs back on there feet so to speak. is there anything i can do to stop this happening or is it just bad luck.. do other members have this problem or is it just me.. ive saved a few snails by righting them up but obviously i can always keep an eye on them.

 

[Trod]

I have lost a few this way too. unfortunatley I don't think there is a lot you can do, just keep an eye on them

 

[seffieuk]

I suspect you have astras, they can't right themselves after falling off rock. Buy some turbos

SEffie x

 

[xxBarneyxx]

As seffie says they are probably astra snails. Most fish shops sell these as turbo snails. They are good CUC but as said they have difficulty with righting themselves (they can do it but only if they land just right).

I have also found that the ones from my LFS have a very poor survival rate. Looking in their tank at least half of them are dead and from the 20 or so I have bought from 2 lfs only about 8-10 survived. Speaking to people from other areas they say pretty much the same thing so maybe they just don't transport very well. Mine have been breeding though so that does help keep the numbers up even if I lose a few (I only regularly see about 4 of the big ones in my tank at the moment).

I would agree go with true turbo snails or cerith snails (careful of ceriths with hermits, hermits just cant seem to resist killing them for their shells).

 

[seffieuk]

Have a look for the bigger mexican turbos, i recently bought of fleabay

Seffie x

 

[superman1]

funny thing is i brought 5 from a lfs which were labelled as turbo snails..

i also brought 10 from a guy who was breaking his tank off ultimate reef and he said they were turbos.. they look very similiar...

is there any snails that can self right successfully.

the problem is when they fall over the hermits can have a grab..

 

[seffieuk]

Yes, true Turbos

I bought off this chap, postage is high though but you do end up with a handy small poly box

http/stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Aquarium-lif...p__W0QQ_armrsZ1

Seffie x

 

[ben1987]

hermit crabs can be little gits when snailes are unside down too, eating them and what not

 

[westiemarble]

Trochus snails are a good type. They can look similar to astreas and I've seen Astreas labelled as Trochus but they are very different snails!

I believe Astreas originate from sea-grass areas and as such are only used to climbing up and down shinny green leaves not lumpy rocks. In the wild they can stick to the sea-grass without any problems but are not suited to the rocks in our tanks - hence they fall off.

 

[johnnyjtaylor]

I suspect you have astras......

Astras are cars made by Vauxhall . Astrea are a type of marine snail common in reefkeeping.

 

[seffieuk]

I suspect you have astras......

Astras are cars made by Vauxhall . Astrea are a type of marine snail common in reefkeeping.

Seffie x

 

[superman1]

I suspect you have astras......

Astras are cars made by Vauxhall . Astrea are a type of marine snail common in reefkeeping.

Seffie x

i guess you can get the VXR turbo snails too then



think i might have to get some nassarius snails..

 

[seffieuk]

i guess you can get the VXR turbo snails too then

Seffie x

 

[Musho3210]

True turbo snails can be huge and real bulldozers as well (they just knock rock and frags out of their way), but they do do a great job of eating algae. I'm not a fan of snails anymore, after seeing how much more effective a single urchin is compared to a group of snails. But urchins are much worse bulldozers than turbo snails. You cant have everything....

 

[kj23502]

nope astraea's (as they are spelled ) come from areas where there is a ton of rockwork. they never have to contend w/falling on sand. When they fall they land in rock crevices and easily right themselves.

They don't do well in our tanks b/c they are a subtropical snail

here's a good read

http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php