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View Full Version : what snails and how many?


t5Nitro
12/29/2008, 09:08 AM
All my snails die rather quickly, so again I'm in need of another order. Reeftopia has turbo snails 100 for 48$. Would it be worth buying that or do too many turbos cause problems? I hear some people love turbos and some don't buy them at all, so just curious how many you would buy.

I have a 125 and trying to battle an everlasting GHA outbreak. I'm finally getting it under control (I think) which is good because it's me and no snails helping so far. :)

Michael
12/29/2008, 09:16 AM
i like turbos, and i used to lose snails quite quicky, the 1 thing i learnt, and i did learn this was they need lots of acclimatising, i mean several hours, since ive been doing this, ive bearly lost any, except when my hermits decide to kill and eat some, for a 125 gallon tank with plenty of living rock about 30 would be fine, ive seen threads stating hundreds are needed, but 30 turbos would get through the crap on the rocks very quickly

Toddrtrex
12/29/2008, 11:13 AM
I think that 100 turbos in a 125 would be about 90 too many. I have one in my 58, 2 in my 75 (( well, one right now, I moved one over to my 29 for a couple of weeks, and then will move it back ))

Cassidy1016
12/29/2008, 12:22 PM
You don't need alot that is for sure. I was told about one per gallon and I stocked my tank on the light side and got six.( I have a twelve Gallon Nano) I have had a lot die. Turbo snails need a plentiful supply of diatoms and other types of low growing algae. They will starve if you overstock them. It is suggested that you have no more than one per 10gallons.

Tylt33
12/29/2008, 12:57 PM
Those turbo snails that reeftopia sells aren't the frequently thought of "giant turbo" snails sold. They're Astrea snails. Astreas are good cleaners, but are frequently killed by hermits and cannot right themselves when they fall off rocks/glass. What's killing your snails? I'd figure that out before I bought anymore. If they're dying from unsafe levels in your tank, adding more could exacerbate the problem.

Tylt33
12/29/2008, 12:59 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14034963#post14034963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
I think that 100 turbos in a 125 would be about 90 too many. I have one in my 58, 2 in my 75 (( well, one right now, I moved one over to my 29 for a couple of weeks, and then will move it back ))

They're astreas, not turbos like you're thinking.

slimy fish
12/30/2008, 03:03 AM
I have also used astrea snails for agae control. They work great and 100 would not be too many. Just acclimate them slowly and don't house them with hermit sanils, they will kill them.

Cassidy1016
12/30/2008, 01:18 PM
It is true that hermits will kill them but trust me 100 is way too many.Like I said a good rule of thumb is 1 per 10 gallon. I would start with that and slowly add more if you think you need them.

reefworm
12/30/2008, 02:51 PM
talk to John at http://reefcleaners.org/ Go to the cleanup crews link and they'll set up a very effective package for your specific system, and can probably help you with the mortality problem