55 gal tank, cycling 1 year, 35 lb live rock, crushed coral, anemone, 2 shrimp, starfish, and 4 crabs. Everything is happy except the snails. temp and salinity are ok, nitrate is a tiny bit high. The snails are barely alive, and dont "work" at all. Do they need some special chemical to be happy ? I have one giant snail and 4 smaller snails. none of them are doing very well!
2007-02-24 05:51:26 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
To the answerers above me, YES, there are saltwater snails.
Saying your water is "OK" isn't enough - what's okay for some animals (fish) isn't so okay for others (inverts). Some things to check (I'd look seriously at the first two, others may also be possible causes)-
What is your salinity? (should be 1.024-1.026 for inverts) Have you calibrated your hydrometer so you know if the reading is correct? (See website for how to do this: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rhf/index.php)
What is the pH? (should be 8.1-8.4 - closer to 8.4 preferred)
What is the temp? (should be 74-78o, a little higher or lower okay, but not ideal)
Do you add calcium/kalkwasser to your tank? (needed for shell growth, esp. if your pH is lower than 8.1 or you don't do weekly water changes)
What is your nitrate? (40< is recommended for freshwater, but as low as possible is what you should aim for for saltwater)
Do your snails have enough food? Some (Astrea, turbo, etc. are algae eaters and need to have enough algae in your tank to eat. Others, like nassarius will eat detritus from the gravel)
Are any of your crabs hermits? (If they need to move into a new shell and you don't provide them with some, they will harrass/kill your snails for theirs)
2007-02-24 06:20:16 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If they are salt water snails? Since you have starfish and anemone get your nitrates down! That could be a big factor.
Snails need fed as well. Even though they are great algae eaters they also eat plant life. Conch's need to actually be fed. I buy frozen veggie fish food for mine.
What kind of snails are they?
Salt-water snails are the largest group of snails, best know to the average human through the bright spiral shells that wash up on the shore. They are also harvested as food, particularly abalone and conch. Don't try gathering them yourself without reading up on the subject; some marine snails (family Conidae, genus Conus) secrete venom, which can be fatal to
2007-02-24 06:14:56 · answer #2 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have to be specifically salt water snails. Fresh water snails won't live in the salt.
2007-02-24 06:06:13 · answer #3 · answered by Gone fishin' 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
well u should get your nitrate down to 0' ..and do u have algae in your tank for the snail to eat?
2007-02-24 06:15:18 · answer #4 · answered by spookey818 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
someone correct me if im wrong here, but i thought snails and salt dont mix, salt does dry them out right? Did you even see if they can be in salt water. Try placing them in fresh water
2007-02-24 05:58:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Snail + salt = sad little snails No really I have no Idea sorry!!!
2007-02-24 06:00:43 · answer #6 · answered by Married and loving it!!!! 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋