snails

[Just Jim]

I've got 3 turbos that are about 3 years old. They do a great job on the rocks, when they're not bulldozing my sps. I need to get some sand cleaners and was eyeing up some nassarius snails. I've gotten these off e-bay before, and only and handful survive for more than 6 months. Should I just get a 50 pack, or are the white ones I see closer to $1 each more suited for a reef?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300-Saltwater-Snails-Coral-Reef-Safe-Algae-Eaters-/230377912884?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a397fa34#ht_976wt_698

[SushiGirl]

You're better off with the white ones. The mud whelks he's selling are predatory.

[olemiss reb]

read this before you buy ebay snails again-- http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php

[donya]

What do you need cleaned out of your sand? Nassariids eat meaty things, so a few of them are useful for picking up after fish where other animals can't reach into crevices and such. However, if there isn't a lot of leftover meaty stuff, these snails will not fare well in large quantities and may start to harass other small inverts out of hunger. They will also generally not touch cyano, diatoms, or algae when in a healthy state. Cerithiids are more likely to go after this sort of growth in/on the sand.

I have also never heard of "farm raised" Nassariids of any variety. It would be nice if it was the case...but I have only heard of a few aquacultured marine gastropod species so far being available on a large scale, none being in that family. If someone can clear up the facts on this for me I would appreciate it.

[Just Jim]

read this before you buy ebay snails again-- http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php


all I have is WOW! That article should be a sticky somewhere. I've read a lot of there articles, but never that one. It told me everything I wanted to know and more. I don't often read an entire article, but skim read. This one I read twice. Thanks!