Hungry cuc

[JoJosReef]

Well, it happened. Overrun with GHA, hired a bunch of CUC and put in some gulf live rock and now there's barely a patch left. Dinos came, I think taking up the blank space, and UV did away with them. Nutrients staying pretty high, so it's not a bottom-out (even during the dinos).

Now I have more CUC activity than ever, but I think that's because they are all searching for food. Even the back glass that I don't clean is barely dirty. I'm running my lights at normal levels, so in principle algae should be able to grow, but it's not coming up or they are just cleaning up too fast.

What do I do now? I like my snails. Is there a good snail food? Or is rehoming the only option?

Thanks!

CUC in my 13.5g:
4-5 dwarf trochus
1 money cowrie
2-3 African ceriths
4-5 florida ceriths
4-5 nerites
2 ox nerites
3-4 astraeas
Tons of dwarf cerith
~10 periwinkles
1 conch
1 naughty blue leg hermit

 

[Lasse]

IMO - They are doing their job and the fact that you have a lot of small snails indicate that its food enough for them.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks Lasse, that is comforting. I still wouldn't mind supplement feeding them if needed. A few, like the money cowrie I'd prefer not to lose since they are not always in stock.

 

[shakacuz]

algae wafers or nori could help

 

[JoJosReef]

algae wafers or nori could help

I do have both, but the snails have never gone after nori and the wafers seem to be only noticed by the hermit. Will try again--maybe they'll go for it now with less algae distractions.

 

[reeftankdude]

I do have both, but the snails have never gone after nori and the wafers seem to be only noticed by the hermit. Will try again--maybe they'll go for it now with less algae distractions.

I have 25 snails and feed them one large size algae wafer twice a week. I chop one wafer into about 30 small pieces placed onto the substrate with a fish net. You can also throw them into the water real hard and the chopped wafers will go to the bottom. It will take a little while for the wafer bits to get soft, but in the morning the bits will all be gone. Just do it after the lights go out so fish will not eat it.