Anyone keeping a reef without snails?

[Daniel@R2R]

I quit keeping crabs a while back, but I'm starting to think I 86'd the wrong member of the CUC. My snails tend to be bulldozers that knock over all of my frags. I'm starting to think maybe I should keep my tank without snails. Or at least without snails that like to clean the rockwork...thoughts?

 

[JGT]

I find turbos to be bulls in a China shop but the smaller snails are fine. Ceriths, astreas, trochus and nassarius I have no issues with.

 

[elorablue]

Agreed, the Mexican turbos could topple the CN Tower if they put their back into it. No problem at all with ceriths, Trochus , nassarius, astreas etc.
Those turbos sure are hard working though...kind of a trade off LOL

I am also crab-free. Bad attitudes

 

[JCM]

I epoxy all my corals in place to avoid this problem. I wouldn't keep a tank without snails/urchins. I agree with crabs being unnecessary though

 

[mdb_talon]

I wont allow crabs in my tank anymore(due to ripping open lps mouths to steal food) and i feed extremely heavy so cant imagine a scenario for me where removing snails would make sense. For you it may though

Personally i would just secure your frags better. My favorite snails are huge zebra turbos. No issue with secured frags in dt or with my eggcrate fragracks in frag tanks.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Maybe you could substitute snails with 1000 asterina starfish lol or sea hare

 

[DE FISH]

Astreas in my tank way better at eating algae than your standard hermit crabs would like to add some ceriths at some point in time too though

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I have 14 snails overall in my 32 Biocube. I wouldn’t say they help more than removing it yourself but they are an easy solution to lowering maintenance (sorta. They don’t do a great job at 100% removal) and cool reef personality to have.

 

[ZoWhat]

Absolutely.... snails suck
Urchins all the way


.

 

[DHill6]

Red banded trochius, 1 Florida certh, a lot of bumblebee snails. The later fit into small spaces and they’re always working. One red tuxedo urchin, no bulldozing of any kind out of anyone.

 

[QuarantinedCorals]

I qt everything that touches my display so I wait 90 days for snails to fallow prior to entering my tank. My tank has been running for months with 4 tangs (Achilles, yellow tang, orange shoulder, tomini), I only have one trochus snail and I don't struggle with algae. I will add some more snails to the mix but the tang gang has been keeping the tank looking clean.

 

[Stain]

I keep hermits, no snails. I can scrape the glass myself easily. Only sps frags in my tank and I didn't want to risk the snails knocking my frags over. The hermits shell cant move my glued frags from my rock work.

 

[Oldsman]

I'd rather keep the smaller snails than crabs , haven't really noticed much benefit from them vs the snails doing clean up work. One pesky emerald has been a terror lately and tough to remove ...so far

 

[X-37B]

My 120 is bare bottom and I prefer the astreas. I have 80 at last count with no algae. For me they work the best at a minimum of 1 per 2 gallons for algae control.
I have a few turbos and ceriths too.
I also have 2 urchins that prefer coraline algae.
I would not have a tank without the astreas.