Turbo Snail not moving

[rsach]

when u go get new snails id take some water and have it tested for copper. i know u said the tank is new but maybe there was some in the lr or something.

 

Thanks for idea. I actually got the live rocks from another guys tank so there is some possibility. I will get it checked.

[CrazyAggie05]

. Unfortunately these guys are very bad shippers, and can be just as bad to acclimate.

 

Amen to that. I can't think of the last turbo I've bought that was all full of pep just after being introduced. Most sat there for 24-36 hours before moving. Dunno why. And if you are wondering why I've had so much experience with acclimating them, it's because my mantis shrimp would always go for them first!

[gulfsurfer101]

It has to be your tank parameters because I can take a cerith or turbo or even a conch out of my ap 24 with hqi lighting from downstairs and just drop them into a much colder tank upstairs with out driplineing or floating them just dropping them straight in ther from one tank to another and watch them just take off. My bottom tank is at a constant 82 degrees and my tank upstairs stays around 74-76 which is a huge temp difference. They just crawl into the sand and come out to eat whenever they get hungry. You defintaely have to have something in there to cause all this death to snails. What part of texas you from anyways, I live in corpus and just catch my own snails, they will live through anything, except maybe your tank. JK. I hope you get it figured out.

[CrazyAggie05]

Hey where do you collect at and what do you get? I am going to our house in Rockport all week next week.

[rsach]

It has to be your tank parameters because I can take a cerith or turbo or even a conch out of my ap 24 with hqi lighting from downstairs and just drop them into a much colder tank upstairs with out driplineing or floating them just dropping them straight in ther from one tank to another and watch them just take off. My bottom tank is at a constant 82 degrees and my tank upstairs stays around 74-76 which is a huge temp difference. They just crawl into the sand and come out to eat whenever they get hungry. You defintaely have to have something in there to cause all this death to snails. What part of texas you from anyways, I live in corpus and just catch my own snails, they will live through anything, except maybe your tank. JK. I hope you get it figured out.

 

So, far all the parameters that I checked are normal. The Nirtites, Nitrates & Ammonia are zero, PH is 8.2, KH is10, Calcium is 500 & Phosphate is 1. The only thing I haven't checked is copper. Wouldn't the hermit crabs die too if the parameters were off? I hope one of these days the snails will start living in my tank too btw I'm from Carrollton, TX.

[rsach]

I got five astreas snails yesterday and drip acclimated them. I finally saw them moving. However, they don't hold on to the glass for too long, they keep falling after few minutes. Is this normal? I hope these survive as my tanks looks nasty with all sorts of algae gorwing everywhere.

[ubigbobby]

I had one Turbo as a hitckhiker on some LR. I didn't acclimate at all as I didn't even notice him (even though he's pretty big). I just dropped the LR and off he went like nothing. He's been doing fine ever since, though he doesn't seems to go near the hermits much. i don't blame him...they can be SOBs

[HankB]

I got five astreas snails yesterday and drip acclimated them. I finally saw them moving. However, they don't hold on to the glass for too long, they keep falling after few minutes. Is this normal? I hope these survive as my tanks looks nasty with all sorts of algae gorwing everywhere.

 

No. Not normal.

 

From http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/astrea_snail.htm

"Astraea snails also have the annoying habit that they cannot right themselves if they become dislodged and land on their back. Sometimes makes you wonder how they survive in the wild. If you notice one dislodged, you should right it to prevent its demise."

 

Falling is unusual and can be fatal for them. I think you still have some water chemistry problem.

 

-hank

[rsach]

No. Not normal.

 

From http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/astrea_snail.htm

"Astraea snails also have the annoying habit that they cannot right themselves if they become dislodged and land on their back. Sometimes makes you wonder how they survive in the wild. If you notice one dislodged, you should right it to prevent its demise."

 

Falling is unusual and can be fatal for them. I think you still have some water chemistry problem.

 

-hank

 

I retested all the parameters and they are all zero. I am really confused as to what is causing them t die. I just lost two of them. One of them is still alive but won't move. I am thinking if I should try the cerith snails from reefcleaner.org or if there is anything else to watch out for. The three hermit crabs are doing great and are very active and even the couple of fishes that I have are doing good. It's just the snails that won't survive.

[gulfsurfer101]

Aransas Pass is prime territorry. The water in between there and the island is prime for shrimps like pepermints, and stuff like game fish and seahoarses, but the jetties have nems, butterflies, pipefish. I've also found nice snails and conches around here in Corpus.

[HankB]

I retested all the parameters and they are all zero. ...

 

There's a lot more that can be going on in your tank than the few things we test for. BTW, did you ever test for copper?

 

I've heard others recommend using poly filter pads to remove contaminants:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...amp;pcatid=4335

 

That might be worth a try. You might also ask the person you got this stuff from if they treated with anything. If you can identify it, you have an advantage trying to eliminate it.

 

Even carbon will take a lot of stuff out of the water (which is why you have to remove it when you medicate.)

 

Also think about other possible sources of contamination. Could something have fallen into the tank? Are you using new buckets and siphon hoses and such, or are these retasked from some other use that could have left residues? The specificity of the problem to snails makes me think it is more likely some sort of chemical contamination rather than an immature tank.

 

HTH,

hank

[rsach]

There's a lot more that can be going on in your tank than the few things we test for. BTW, did you ever test for copper?

 

I've heard others recommend using poly filter pads to remove contaminants:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...amp;pcatid=4335

 

That might be worth a try. You might also ask the person you got this stuff from if they treated with anything. If you can identify it, you have an advantage trying to eliminate it.

 

Even carbon will take a lot of stuff out of the water (which is why you have to remove it when you medicate.)

 

Also think about other possible sources of contamination. Could something have fallen into the tank? Are you using new buckets and siphon hoses and such, or are these retasked from some other use that could have left residues? The specificity of the problem to snails makes me think it is more likely some sort of chemical contamination rather than an immature tank.

 

HTH,

hank

 

Copper was zero, I got is tested over the weekend. I think you have a good point about some chemical contamination. the only thing that was not new was the bucket in which I was getting the saltwater and the powerhead that I used to mix the salt. Although I rinsed it good, but there might be a possibility. I will get a new bucket today and mix new saltwater. What's a good way to clean the powerhead that I was using in that bucket? In the mean while I will put carbon in my filter to get rid of the chemicals. I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Without this foruim I would have been totally lost.

[HankB]

Copper was zero, I got is tested over the weekend. I think you have a good point about some chemical contamination. the only thing that was not new was the bucket in which I was getting the saltwater and the powerhead that I used to mix the salt. Although I rinsed it good, but there might be a possibility. I will get a new bucket today and mix new saltwater. What's a good way to clean the powerhead that I was using in that bucket? In the mean while I will put carbon in my filter to get rid of the chemicals. I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Without this foruim I would have been totally lost.

 

You could try soaking the power head in a mix of vinegar and water. That's a weak acid and should help to dissolve any deposits.

 

Good luck solving the problem. Without this forum, I doubt that we would even dare get into something like this.

 

-hank

[johnmaloney]

Astreas fall over all the time if there is good flow on them. Not a big fan of astreas really, you will spend more time righting them then it would take to clean the tank. They are a favorite of many hobbyists though. Not sure why.

[Laura6686]

1.025 for a reef tank. 1.020-1.025 for a fish tank, constant of course

 

1.23 is also good for reef tanks! The documents on starting your reef tanks from our the moderator even states to get your tank to 1.23.

 

I retested all the parameters and they are all zero. I am really confused as to what is causing them t die. I just lost two of them. One of them is still alive but won't move. I am thinking if I should try the cerith snails from reefcleaner.org or if there is anything else to watch out for. The three hermit crabs are doing great and are very active and even the couple of fishes that I have are doing good. It's just the snails that won't survive.

 

 

How often do you do water changes? What is the temp of your tank? I have two turbos in my tank and when the temp gets over 79 mine are not as active. Plus mine work more during the night shift and sleep during the day.

 

They wiped out the hair algae in my tank and now I have to supplement them with nori.

[rsach]

I do weekly water changes (20%). I have good news. A snail finally survived in my tank. After HankB's hint about contamination, I put carbon in the filter couple of days back and checked all the parameters one more time. Then I went to my LFS and got a Mexican Turbo Snail, all I did was floated the bag for 15mins and then put it in like the guy at the LFS told me. The snail grabbed on the glass right away and has been active for a day now. I am soooo happy. I guess there was some kind of contamination in the water that the carbon got rid of. I am planning on ordering 8 more snails online through reefcleaners.org. I have tons of hair algae to get rid off. Thanks everyone!! I will update after I add more snails. Hopefully they will survive too.

Edited July 4, 2008 by rsach

[JerseyChick]

Same thing happened with my snails... I took them out and put them in a plastic cup thinking ok they are dead, and they started climbing the walls of the cup within minutes. I acclimated the cup and mine have been moving ever since ( oops)

Edited July 5, 2008 by JerseyChick

[hazmat]

rsach-I'm from Keller!! A few of us on here from around the same area!

 

I was just going to add that I had a Turbo die and none of my CUC touched it. It didn't move for awhile so I put it up on a rock shelf that I have to monitor it. When I moved it, it pulled into it's shell so it was alive. But after another day of not moving I took it out and it was getting smelly. But for some reason all my hermits stayed away from it. Everyone always says a CUC will take care of a dead carcass (including corals too) but mine must be picky....cause they didn't touch the snail or my dead corals.

 

Glad to see its all working out for you now. This can be a tricky hobby!

[bowlopho]

i got 5 margarita, 1 turbo, and 5 hermits. drove home from the lfs and threw them in.

 

I couldn't find 1 of the hermits, but i found an empty shell the next day way under the sand while i was cleaning it up. Hope it didn't belong to him. =/

 

my turbo would not move for about 2 days

 

and my margaritas were just fine and dandy.

[chuckfullservice]

Check your tank. Temp, salinity vs. store salinity etc. Something may be off in your tank.

+ 100 your havin much too hard of a time with snails ! If they aren't moving something is up with your water start testing now!

[Laura6686]

I do weekly water changes (20%). I have good news. A snail finally survived in my tank. After HankB's hint about contamination, I put carbon in the filter couple of days back and checked all the parameters one more time. Then I went to my LFS and got a Mexican Turbo Snail, all I did was floated the bag for 15mins and then put it in like the guy at the LFS told me. The snail grabbed on the glass right away and has been active for a day now. I am soooo happy. I guess there was some kind of contamination in the water that the carbon got rid of. I am planning on ordering 8 more snails online through reefcleaners.org. I have tons of hair algae to get rid off. Thanks everyone!! I will update after I add more snails. Hopefully they will survive too.

 

 

I know this is late in response but do not order any more snails. I had tons of hair algae and ordered one turbo snail but they sent two. They wiped out all the algae in less than a week now I have to supplement their diet with nori every other day. Turbos are great and I think no other snail is needed.

[Mogwai82]

I'm having a similar issue with my turbo snails. They were moving fine in the tank until I saw one tipped over with its body in a ball or closed. I took it out and touched the body and it moved. So I placed it by some algae and it has been sitting there for over 24hrs. I never have luck with snails also.