Trouble with Turbo snails staying alive.

[JNLibero]

Hello,

I am new to the hobby after a lot of videos and guidance from my LFS, I cycled for a month, everything came down to levels that they said were good. Then I bought some Turbo and Nassaruis snails along with three blue-legged hermit crabs. I dripped acclimated them for 1.5 hours. The nassarius snails are thriving as far as I can tell and the hermit crabs are as well. The turbos were a little active at first, but then they started slowing down and falling when they would climb on surfaces. I was worried and measured parameters every day. Nothing out of the ordinary. Over the next week, they started dying. I felt terrible as I didn't know what caused this or if it was something I did. Went back to LFS, asked them and they said sometimes it just happens due to stress and not to feel too bad. They sent me home with a few more turbo snails. A couple of them I have managed to identify as zebra turbo snails, but the other one I could not. Followed the same acclimation process and now the zebra turbos are thriving and just going around looking normal. The mystery turbo snail was active at first and then the same thing happened like before. Today I saw his body floating on a rock outside of his shell. Shell was removed immediately and water tested.

Parameters:
pH: 8.1
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: .05
Calcium: 450
Phosphate: .04

Tested these with RedSea kits.

Any help is much appreciated! I am starting to get a brown algae that I am worried about overrunning the tank as the CUC doesn't seem to touch it.

Thank you all.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The issue with adding snails immediately after a cycle is that there is nothing in the tank for them to eat. Turbo snails are algae lawnmowers, so they are likely starving to death. Wait until you see some signs of algae before getting algae grazers.

 

[JNLibero]

The issue with adding snails immediately after a cycle is that there is nothing in the tank for them to eat. Turbo snails are algae lawnmowers, so they are likely starving to death. Wait until you see some signs of algae before getting algae grazers.

I appreciate the quick feedback! I have a lot of brown algae growing on the sides and rocks in the tank. I also have used algae wafers a couple times when there was no visible algae.

 

[Mike7744]

There is not enough food for the snails, they are starving to death, I waited a year before I added snails. Make sure your tank can support them

 

[JNLibero]

There is not enough food for the snails, they are starving to death, I waited a year before I added snails. Make sure your tank can support them

Got it! Thank you for the information!

 

[slingfox]

I appreciate the quick feedback! I have a lot of brown algae growing on the sides and rocks in the tank. I also have used algae wafers a couple times when there was no visible algae.

You should post tank pictures under white light. There are not many true brown algae which grow in home reef tanks.

 

[JNLibero]

 

[get-salty]

Turbo snails are extreme algae eaters - you picked the wrong type of CUC thats all.
This is how we learn from the hobby
; p

What you need are a couple of hermits and maybe a couple of trochus.

Good luck and happy reefing !

 

[JNLibero]

Turbo snails are extreme algae eaters - you picked the wrong type of CUC thats all.
This is how we learn from the hobby
; p

What you need are a couple of hermits and maybe a couple of trochus.

Good luck and happy reefing !

Thank you! I will inquire about some Trochus snails. I do have a few blue-legged hermit crabs in there already and they seem happy