Jump to content
Top Shelf Aquatics

My tank: Astrea Snail death chamber


Ron..... the cheeb

Recommended Posts

Ron..... the cheeb

my info:

18 gallon acrylic bow front, sump in back w/trickle filter,skimmer

15 1/2 lbs Fiji LR / 20 lbs aragonite

Tank has been cycled for about 2 months,

contains:

1 PJ cardinal

2 percula clowns

9 small hermits (blue leg, mostly)

 

I have put 3 Astrea snails in the tank, 3 seperate times.

They all die very quickly. Less than 24 hours. They are from 3 different LFS I leave them in the tank a while, just in case, but they are definitely dead. The carcass is not missing.

I change 2 gal water every week. I check the water,

including amm/ni/na/ph/copper. Everything's great.

Any chance bristle worms are invading the snails, and

killing them from the inside? I did spot 1 small (maybe 3/8" long)

worm one night after lights out. Do they ever prey on snails?

I did try a small turbo once-- he was dead in the morning also.

I had a small peppermint shrimp for about 4 days, then he died.

No visible signs of being eaten. The hermits are thriving.

 

Any guesses? I really want to keep snails.

Link to comment
Ron..... the cheeb

Acclimating: I add tank water to the bag in three stages, about 15 minutes apart. By that time, there is more tank water than LFS water in the bag

 

Trickle filter: I check nitrates every week. They are at or near zero. How can it be a nitrate factory if the tank water tests near zero nitrates? I will get a low level nitrate test kit, but its definitely below 10.

Link to comment

I'm still willing to bet it's something in the water. Do you have any anemones or corals in the tank? How are they reacting? What sort of source water do you use for your water changes and top off water?

 

What's the specific gravity of the tank? Describe the decorations you have in the tank (in detail). Lastly, when you add the snails, do you just plop them in or make sure that they've attached to the sides of the glass or rockwork first?

 

Have any of your fish been sick recently? Have you seen them scraping the rocks with their bodies? Have you treated the tank with any medications in the past? How about carbon, are you using any?

Link to comment

I would acclimate a little better. Do you check the salinity and pH of the LFS water before you start? Do that, and if there is a large difference, you need to acclimate slower. Setup a drip with some airline, that's what I do. If the LFS's water is really close to yours, you don't need to acclimate as long, but still go slow.

Link to comment
Ron..... the cheeb

thanks for all the input.......

 

>>Do you have any anemones or corals in the tank?

No.

 

>>What sort of source water do you use?

RO/DI

 

>>What's the specific gravity of the tank?

1.022-24

 

>>Describe the decorations you have in the tank (in detail).

No decorations, just LR and sand

 

>>Lastly, when you add the snails, do you just plop them in or >>make sure that they've attached to the sides of the glass or >>rockwork first?

 

I set them, gently, on the LR right side up.

 

>>Have any of your fish been sick recently?

No.

 

>>Have you seen them scraping the rocks with their bodies?

No.

 

>>Have you treated the tank with any medications in the past?

Never.

 

>>How about carbon, are you using any?

No carbon.

 

>>Do you check the salinity and pH of the LFS water?

No, I have not.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...