snails eating it clean..too clean?

[iluvzigz]

I just added about 10 snails and 3 mexican turbos to the line up about 2 weeks ago..well they are doing great..maybe a little too great...they have eatin every ounce of algae they even ate all of my corraline forming on the glass,prob even the stuff forming on the rocks too...

yea that may be great..but im worried that now my conchs wont have anything to eat and will starve...should i take some out? !:bouncebox

My tank is compleatly bare..there is a rock that i havent seen in a year that is clean ..boy those suckers work..i value my conchs more then the snails what should i do?

 

[reefjitsu]

Hmmm, I never heard of snails eating coraline algae off the glass before. What kind of snails are the ten you added? astreas?

 

[lcstorc]

I have never heard of snails eating coraline, but I did end up taking quite a few turbos back to my lfs. I just had more snails than algae and they were starving. I was actually putting algae in the tank to feed the snails. lol
Now of course I got my MH lights and wish I still had the turbos. I guess I'll just have to buy a few more. Guess I am never happy.

 

[gimpy]

My fighting conch always stayed in the sand, with just every once in a while eating at the edge of the glass. I doubt the snails eat off of the sand? I used to throw in an algae wafer every once in a while for my conch. Sometimes he would eat on it (guess that's the right word?) and other times he would ignore it. I think he would be OK.

Frank

 

[iluvzigz]

reefjitsu- Im not sure exactly what kind they are. The mex. turbos are the big ones? and reg turbos are small? ive got 10 small and 3 big turbos.
my tank is new so the coraline was just starting to form .there really wasnt much but a couple of little spots here and there...ive been keeping my eye on them for em to spread and now they're gone i will try and get a pic tomorrow

Lynn- im right there with you :shades:

Gimpy- the snails dont go on the sand.. neither do the conchs ..they are queens not fighting ,so they stay on the rocks....
although since this algae drought they have been in the sand today HMMMM..maybe it is time to get rid of a couple snails

 

[Woodstock]

Turbos and conchs require a lot of algae or they will quickly starve. The recommended stocking rate for large turbos is 1 per 20 gal. When snails are added to take care of an algae issue, it is important to remove some/most when the algae is gone.
The only snails I have in my 90 gal are 6 nerites, 8 ceriths and 6 nassarius.

 

[billyr98]

I have 8 turbos... I hate them! They are so big and clumsy.. I am going to throw them into my sump, just in case i need them again...

 

[iluvzigz]

:shades: ok thanks woody and billy i will get rid of some