what is killing my snails / hermits?

spiraling · 12/08/2013, 12:50 PM

Hi everyone. I'm new to reef keeping and have a few questions. Thanks a bunch for hosting this forum - its great!

I have an RSM 130d (34 gallons). I set it up about 6 weeks ago with about 1/2 live rock. Its a standard RSM setup. My ammonia and nitrItes have been 0 for 5 weeks. My nitrAte is around 5 - 20, depending water changes.

I have 2 hermits, 2 certihs, 2 nerites. I've been putting in a little food for the hermits (.5 ml mysis daily). I'm still getting some diatom and other algae so I will get more snails this week (cerith, nerite and a couple of nassarius). This week I lost one hermit and one cerith. The cerith climbed to the top and dried out. The hermit just stopped moving and was dead and out of the shell a few days later. I removed both. NitrAtes were ~20, so I did a 30% change and now they are 5ish. I don't like the API cards for nitrate, they are too hard to read. I didn't see a spike in ammonia or nitrite.

I removed the ceramic disks for filtration and added a couple of pounds of rock under the pumps (I heard that helps control nitrate), and added carbon before the skimmer. (I didn't have carbon to this point).

Today a nerite is missing. He's usually on the glass.

Is there anything else I should be checking / changing? I really don't like killing my snails.

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5
temp 77F
sg 1.023

JonV88 · 12/08/2013, 12:56 PM

It's natural behavior for hermits to covet snail shells some will kill a snail just for its shell, in fact I have a hermit that killed my nassarius snail tried out the shell and didn't like it so switched back -_- as for the hermit check well sometimes when they molt their molted skin appears exactly like a dead hermit

spiraling · 12/08/2013, 08:06 PM

wow - I would have sworn I took out a dead crab this morning. Now there is a second molt. And there is not another missing crab. wow. They molt big.

The errant nerite is back. I'm still one crab down though. And one cerith.

JonV88 · 12/08/2013, 08:18 PM

I've also had 1 hermit just bully the other keeping him out of his shell he eventually died

robotman · 12/09/2013, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiraling

wow - I would have sworn I took out a dead crab this morning. Now there is a second molt. And there is not another missing crab. wow. They molt big.

The errant nerite is back. I'm still one crab down though. And one cerith.

could just be hiding, let them do their thing, whats your p.h level?

baxinabox · 12/09/2013, 03:12 PM

its normal dude, i love hermit crabs super entertaining to watch.

they eat most of my CUC. ( i myself need to buy new snails. )

and they have battle royals.. when one takes the shell from another its like a Free for all they all jump on each other and fight for shells. so funny.

every once in a while my wrasse will take one out.

12/08/2013, 12:50 PM	#1
spiraling Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: MT Posts: 49	what is killing my snails / hermits? Hi everyone. I'm new to reef keeping and have a few questions. Thanks a bunch for hosting this forum - its great! I have an RSM 130d (34 gallons). I set it up about 6 weeks ago with about 1/2 live rock. Its a standard RSM setup. My ammonia and nitrItes have been 0 for 5 weeks. My nitrAte is around 5 - 20, depending water changes. I have 2 hermits, 2 certihs, 2 nerites. I've been putting in a little food for the hermits (.5 ml mysis daily). I'm still getting some diatom and other algae so I will get more snails this week (cerith, nerite and a couple of nassarius). This week I lost one hermit and one cerith. The cerith climbed to the top and dried out. The hermit just stopped moving and was dead and out of the shell a few days later. I removed both. NitrAtes were ~20, so I did a 30% change and now they are 5ish. I don't like the API cards for nitrate, they are too hard to read. I didn't see a spike in ammonia or nitrite. I removed the ceramic disks for filtration and added a couple of pounds of rock under the pumps (I heard that helps control nitrate), and added carbon before the skimmer. (I didn't have carbon to this point). Today a nerite is missing. He's usually on the glass. Is there anything else I should be checking / changing? I really don't like killing my snails. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5 temp 77F sg 1.023

12/08/2013, 12:56 PM	#2
JonV88 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: New Rochelle,NY Posts: 342	It's natural behavior for hermits to covet snail shells some will kill a snail just for its shell, in fact I have a hermit that killed my nassarius snail tried out the shell and didn't like it so switched back -_- as for the hermit check well sometimes when they molt their molted skin appears exactly like a dead hermit

12/08/2013, 08:06 PM	#3
spiraling Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: MT Posts: 49	wow - I would have sworn I took out a dead crab this morning. Now there is a second molt. And there is not another missing crab. wow. They molt big. The errant nerite is back. I'm still one crab down though. And one cerith.

12/08/2013, 08:18 PM	#4
JonV88 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: New Rochelle,NY Posts: 342	I've also had 1 hermit just bully the other keeping him out of his shell he eventually died

12/09/2013, 03:12 PM	#6
baxinabox Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 214	its normal dude, i love hermit crabs super entertaining to watch. they eat most of my CUC. ( i myself need to buy new snails. ) and they have battle royals.. when one takes the shell from another its like a Free for all they all jump on each other and fight for shells. so funny. every once in a while my wrasse will take one out.