streakerx Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 I have 6 turbo snails which I put in last week, but today it seems only 2 of them are alive. I'm suspecting the hermit crabs are the culprit. Are they known to be agressive and attack turbo snails? It looks like the snails had their insides ripped apart... If that's the case, should I change my cleanup crew so they don't kill each other?? Link to comment
OscarBeast Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 They starve easily in small tanks and don't tolerate swings in salinity. Link to comment
mini me Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 If they starve easily, can they be supplemented with something? I have the same problem with mine dying, but I only see the empty shell, no hints of what their demise was. How much of a salinity change can kill them? I find that they don't all die off at the same time. Link to comment
streakerx Posted March 9, 2003 Author Share Posted March 9, 2003 I actually just saw a hermit crab walk up to one of the live turbos and proceed to try to rip him out of the shell... What can I do about this?? Link to comment
Spudds Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Is the turbo's shell just about hermit sized? Provide him with other empty shells the same size that he won't have to make a kill to use. Spudds. Link to comment
Mnesarchus Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Yesterday I sat and watched helplessley as my emerald crab flipped over one of my turbos, pulled it out of it's shell and consumed it in a matter of minutes. Gruesome stuff. Adding empty shells will (help) prevent hermits from attacking snails. Link to comment
streakerx Posted March 9, 2003 Author Share Posted March 9, 2003 Thanks for the advice guys.. I'll try that one.. Link to comment
sjpresley Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Feeding the hermits wouldn't be a bad idea. I have had emeralds in my tanks for months (until I decided I wanted my caulerpa to grow) and they never bothered any snails, I fed them nori a few times a week to help them out. I have also never seen a hermit kill a snail that wasn't on the way out anyway...but then again I have always had plenty of extra shells around. Turbos are pretty strong and a hermit or 2 aren't going to pull their operculum open unless they are already weak and dying. Most Turbos are collected from relatively cool water of the coast of Florida or California and have poor survivability in warmer waters, which may explain their short life span in most tanks, but more so now that more people keep their tanks above 80. Or.....maybe not. Link to comment
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