What to feed QT Bumblebee Snails

spsick

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I have 20 some bumblebee snails in QT. What should I be feeding them? They appear to have either killed or capitalizing on a turbo snail atm. I’ve just been putting a little Mysis in there.
 

JumboShrimp

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Maybe a little crushed up flake food, with the flow turned off until it hits the bottom? That's the kind of detritus they will be eating when they get to your DT.
 

Hairyteeth

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I have 20 some bumblebee snails in QT. What should I be feeding them? They appear to have either killed or capitalizing on a turbo snail atm. I’ve just been putting a little Mysis in there.
They kill other snails every now and then 😂 little fckrs
 

dwest

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I fed mine NLS pellets in quarantine. No issues. I’m sure I had some live rock as well.
 

dedragon

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Oh great so my trochus in the display are in trouble?
probably too big for them to tackle and i havent seen them wipe out snail populations before. if your trochus are breeding they may even help keep the population in check
 

dwest

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I haven’t see my bumblebees eat snails yet. I’ve had them for 6 months or so. I haven’t even seen them eat vermatids yet either.
 

ReefSymbiotic

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I have 20 some bumblebee snails in QT. What should I be feeding them? They appear to have either killed or capitalizing on a turbo snail atm. I’ve just been putting a little Mysis in there.
They are also known as assassin snails. So yes if they aren’t fed they will eat other snails.
 

Hairyteeth

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The don’t usually but they take advantage sometimes, had a massive turbo that got stuck upside down and they took advantage 😂
Happens every now and then just not common
I only notice when it’s something like my giant 3.5” turbo
 

Hairyteeth

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They are also known as assassin snails. So yes if they aren’t fed they will eat other snails.
I got to a argument with a lfs once, when I told Them Their called assassin snails so there is a little risk, not much but some

“ in my 20 Years 😂 blah blah blah 😂
 

Euphylliaphyle

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Do you have a removable piece of live rock in your DT with Vermetid? Might as well use the QT time to train your Bumbles to eat what you want them to eat.
 

ReefSymbiotic

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I got to a argument with a lfs once, when I told Them Their called assassin snails so there is a little risk, not much but some

“ in my 20 Years 😂 blah blah blah 😂
Lol been there done that. I’ve actually seen them kill other snails. Usually only when they don’t have much else To eat.
 

BriDroid

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Oh dang ok that’s not gonna work for me
I put 10 of them in about a week ago for vermetid snails. About 4 of them headed to the rocks and the others stayed in the sand. A few days ago my 3 inch derasa was cocked to one side and all 6 of them were at the byssal opening all attached and eating. I can only assume it was the clam, so they all went goodbye. I still have the 4 in the rocks, they seem happy there, but I’m checking multiple times a day! Luckily the clam seems fine.
 

Ryanliyikun

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Bumblebee snails are actually carnivorous scavengers, so what you’re seeing is pretty normal behavior. They don’t eat algae like turbos—most of their diet is leftover meaty food, detritus, worms, and anything dead or dying. So that turbo was likely already on its way out and they’re just cleaning it up (though they can go after weakened snails).

Mysis is a solid choice, but with ~20 of them in QT you’ll want to make sure they’re getting enough food or they’ll get more aggressive. I’d mix in other meaty options too—brine, finely chopped shrimp/scallop, or even small sinking carnivore pellets. The key is to target feed a bit so it actually reaches them (they’re slow and rely on smell more than chasing food).
 

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