Algae on Snail's Shells...What to Do?

[Reefcorals]

I have about 6 Trochus snails which have copious amounts of hair and bubble algae growing from their shells. I have a 120 which is about 5 months old. Cycled using the Serious Reefs 90/10 method. TBS sand in display and live rock in sump. I am running a refugium with chaeto algae. I change 1.5 gallons each day. I have no corals yet in the display but I do have about 8 small to medium sized fish. My tank rock and sand have almost NO hair/bubble or other types of "uglies." Should I remove the snails? Should I put the snails in the sump or remove them completely? Or will the algae on their shells not effect anything else?

Thanks in advance to all who respond,

-Dave

 

[mmorrison55]

It may not be the best or recommended practice, but I’ve removed snails with heavy hair algae and used a stiff bristle toothbrush and some hydrogen peroxide on their shell. Of course, you wouldn’t want to submerge the snail, and you want to work as quickly as possible.

So far i have not lost a snail to this practice.

 

[mmorrison55]

I will add that if it’s not hair algae and just the green variety, it will eventually turn to coralline.

I actually try and pick out snails at the LFS that have coralline on them. It’s a great way to “seed” your tank if you are trying to get coralline to grow.