Snail-cide?

[onthefly]

I've had my 45ga FOWLR tank for several years. My most recent "complete tear down" was done in August (my blenny died and I had an algae bloom like no other!). So, I gave everything a good scrub and set the tank back up using freshly, prepped water. There was "obviously" alittle residual algae on some of the rocks. As a precaution, I added (besides a new blenny) 10 big Turbos and 10 assort. crabs. Viola! No algae!! I know snails need Ca so I dosed with Kalk and keep my pH constant with SuperBuffer DkH. About a month ago, I made a huge error and overdosed my tank with buffer (alk reached 7.5 meq/L!), but began to drop and over the month it's almost normal. The Fish and crabs showed no signs of stress from the overdose.

 

About 3 weeks after the overdose, the first snail kicked the bucket. I found him laying on the sand upside down sucked into the snail. I righted him and a couple of days later I found my crabs chewing on the "body". Since then, they've died off 1, 2, even 4 at a time in the same fashion. I have one lone algae solder left!

 

Now, I have tested everything and being a FOWLR my N03 was as high as 40ppm, but my plenum has kicked in and 2 weeks ago in was a 20ppm. It usually hangs about 5ppm. Are snails sensitive to NO3? Did they run out of food? Did the hard water do them in?

 

Other parameters: 76F, SG=1.018, pH=8.2, alk=4meq/L, NH4=0ppm, N02=0ppm, PO4=<.2ppm

 

Next time, I'm only going to crabs!!!

[Satchmo]

They likely ran out of algae to eat since you scrubbed the tank of most of it. 10 big turbos is a heavy load for a 45g tank. Those boys can eat!

[Crakeur]

what satchmo said. also, once a crab gets a taste for escargot, they can become a bit more aggressive towards the living snails.

[onthefly]

Thanks Guys,

 

I Kinda figured that since they munched down all the remaining algae in a couple of days. Hopefully, there's enough for this last one.

[SoS]

Snails are pretty touchy. High salinity will kill them quickly(killed 4 that way:*( ) But I've never seen one starve? I've never had any in a FO tank though. The lower lighting would probably produce less algae. Well if some survive and the rest don't it could probably be lack of food. Usually with snails they all die not just one.

[johnfaas]

I seem to have the same prob.My snails fall down into the sand and i have to put them back on the live rock.This happens two to 3 times a day and they seem fine once i put them back on rock. Ihad a reef tank 12 years ago an never remember having to do this ???