conchs

EB847 · 04/17/2006, 04:54 PM

good or bad?

Travis L. Stevens · 04/17/2006, 04:58 PM

It depends. They are good at sifting sand and eating various things that others won't touch, but it doesn't take them long to outgrow anything smaller than a 75g-100g tank. In general, you can get the same results with other smaller snails.

afishyonados · 04/17/2006, 05:00 PM

They can be efficient predators of other snails and some crabs.

anthworks · 04/17/2006, 05:01 PM

Bad... There isnt enough food to support them in a normal tank.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=506385

Gabi480 · 04/17/2006, 05:29 PM

I have two queens and they have been fine. Get them

Fuegofish777 · 04/17/2006, 06:26 PM

quick to outgrow?...i think not. i have a queen conch for over a year now and it has grown, but not much. i'ld say less than 1/2". i did read that you have to have a good size sand bed for them to last long term though.

hopper · 04/17/2006, 07:46 PM

I have had a queen conch in my tank for about a year now and it is great at cleaning up the sandbed. Everything from diatom algae to detritus. Has not bothered anything and has only grown a little less than a inch, although I have noticed significant growth for some reason within the past month or so. I would highly reccommend one based on my experience.

fsa · 04/17/2006, 08:22 PM

Maybe, I'm missing something here? I don't know anything about your tank and how big it is. Queen conches get big, but I've never had one (I don't see where you mentioned queen conches? I have glanced over the thread 3 or 4 times). Fighting conches do not get over 3 or 4 inches long and are not predators. They do clean the sand. You do need a sand bed as they like to bury themselves in it.

Frank

impulse · 04/17/2006, 08:32 PM

My vote is for Fighting conches - a hardy, no fuss snail that consumes mainly detrius. Unlike the Trochus, they can right themselves if tipped up.

cristhiam · 04/17/2006, 08:41 PM

are conchs save with clams?

Fuegofish777 · 04/17/2006, 09:26 PM

mine hasnt harmed anything, i've never heard of any sold in the trade as being harmful.

reefD · 04/17/2006, 10:02 PM

queen conch is reef safe....crown conch is a predator for snails. now if your are asking about the reef safe! queen conch and are sure that is what they are they are ok as stated above they can starve in some tanks but other tanks have whateverthey want and they survive for years. just be careful as to what kind you are purchasing. if your not sure dont buy any right now.

reefD · 04/17/2006, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fuegofish777
mine hasnt harmed anything, i've never heard of any sold in the trade as being harmful.

bro i can send you pictures of crown conch's eating turbo snails! believe it! again some species are ok others are not. very common in the trade Fuegofish777..even the bad ones . this is a response from another web site that calfo response to.........
and i qoute .Question re Conch snails
Hi, I am trying to find out if a crown conch will eat a feather duster?
Thank you.
long story short... yes, quite possible. Even likely in some cases. Conch snails in general are voracious omnivores... and some are outright impressive predators, decimating worm and mollusk (even other "snails"). There are very few herbivorous exceptions to this general rule (like the queen conch). Conch are too large and or disruptive for invertebrate aquaria in my opinion across the board. Not recommended for reef aquaria but can be great for fish only. Anthony Calfo
"
even i learn new things everyday in the salt hobby!

Fuegofish777 · 04/17/2006, 10:27 PM

wow...thats news to me. i mean i know some were predators but i hadnt ever seen them for sale. i stand corrected. and i would like to see those pics if you can find them, that has to be a cool sight. thanks for the input!

reefD · 04/17/2006, 10:55 PM

no worries...... the best (in my oppinion) marine biologist's that i have meet never dismiss my finding from having experience as a hobbiest. he stated that the ocean has been studied completely in the area of its scientific make up, properties,elements,ect. but when it comes to behavior of inhabitants and life cycle we are only touching the tips. i can send you a picture ...i need to get it sent to me and them get it hosted. pm me if you want to see it. i absorb what i experience and what i have heard of. but i never dis regard new and different experiences/info. i may have been supporting my idea on my own experience and what i forget is that my experience is rare and not a sure fire answer of normal behavior....when compared to all. it worked for me but like hitting the lotto I was lucky and/or experienced something that is real but rare and unusual. again i learn something new everyday in salt!

impulse · 04/18/2006, 01:37 AM

David
Have you had any experience with Fighting Conches(Strombus alatus)? I think they are more suitable to contemplate than the Queen or the Crown.
This is info that I have on them:
"The Fighting Conch is an excellent sand sifter for DSB tanks. It doesn't grow as fast as the Queen Conch, but each one needs 2' x 2' of surface area to get enough to eat. On occasion it will bury itself completely in the sand to where one eye stalk is all you can see, and may not resurface for two weeks. This is normal, and perhaps that is its growing period. They jump quite high with a very powerful foot. The snout extends across sand and glass, but never on the rockwork, taking up detritus from the sandbed like a little vaccuum cleaner. The foot helps it to burrow in the sand, as it often does, and also can shoot this little mollusc quickly to another spot when it feels threatened. This "jumping" behavior is what gave them the "fighting" part of their nickname, as they are actually peaceful scavengers that will not harm things in the reef. It does also have a hidden spine, but this is used only in defense; it has not bothered any of the inquisitive fish in my tank."

jer77 · 04/18/2006, 01:53 AM

I've had 2 conchs. One was a queen conch and grew to large and died in my 55 gallon. The other I still have and is a smaller figthing conch, I believe. Some call it a "tongan" fighting conch maybe. Its only 1'', so it still can get enough food. I keep it in my 75 gallon though, still.

anthworks · 04/18/2006, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fuegofish777
quick to outgrow?...i think not. i have a queen conch for over a year now and it has grown, but not much. i'ld say less than 1/2". i did read that you have to have a good size sand bed for them to last long term though.

This is what Anthony Clafo said about in the thread I attached.

I almost never recommend conchs for home aquaria... they need huge and mature sand beds (200+gall tanks with DSB per each specimen). Most all I've seen starve to death in 1-3 years or less (poor Queen conchs in particular).

mike89t · 04/18/2006, 03:22 PM

The rule of thumb is that you need about 1-2 square feet of open sand per inch of shell lenght to sustain a conch.

A Queen Conch will starve in all but the largest of tanks as they can reach the size of a football.

Sk8r · 04/18/2006, 05:33 PM

I accidentally have 2 fighting conches, one Tongan, one not. They're excellent---I have a corner tank with a deep cave (thin row of rock supporting megarock roof---so a lot of open sand and debris acccumulation, so I have a front lawn conch and a back. I thought the first was dead, due to a prolonged no-show after a cyano outbreak and treatment. The minute the replacement hit the sand, conch 1 showed up again and ran loops around the new guy, then went off on her own. #1 handles anything but cyano, and tried that.

04/17/2006, 04:58 PM	#2
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	It depends. They are good at sifting sand and eating various things that others won't touch, but it doesn't take them long to outgrow anything smaller than a 75g-100g tank. In general, you can get the same results with other smaller snails. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

04/17/2006, 05:29 PM	#5
Gabi480 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Gilbert, Arizona Posts: 360	I have two queens and they have been fine. Get them __________________ I learned to swim in a reef, where did you? "Yea, well thats like your opinion" Anyone know who said this? Gabi Current Tank Info: reef duh!

04/17/2006, 08:41 PM	#10
cristhiam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Groveland, FL Posts: 3,099	are conchs save with clams? __________________ 2 yellows tail damsels, yellow watchman goby, tail spot blennie, purple pseudocromis, starry blennie, 2 clowns, 1 black clown, mandarine & Yellow tang Current Tank Info: 125 AGA, 3 40W 6500K, 3 110W URI Actinics, running on 2 IceCaps 660, CSS125

04/17/2006, 10:02 PM	#12
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	queen conch is reef safe....crown conch is a predator for snails. now if your are asking about the reef safe! queen conch and are sure that is what they are they are ok as stated above they can starve in some tanks but other tanks have whateverthey want and they survive for years. just be careful as to what kind you are purchasing. if your not sure dont buy any right now. __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

04/17/2006, 10:55 PM	#15
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	no worries...... the best (in my oppinion) marine biologist's that i have meet never dismiss my finding from having experience as a hobbiest. he stated that the ocean has been studied completely in the area of its scientific make up, properties,elements,ect. but when it comes to behavior of inhabitants and life cycle we are only touching the tips. i can send you a picture ...i need to get it sent to me and them get it hosted. pm me if you want to see it. i absorb what i experience and what i have heard of. but i never dis regard new and different experiences/info. i may have been supporting my idea on my own experience and what i forget is that my experience is rare and not a sure fire answer of normal behavior....when compared to all. it worked for me but like hitting the lotto I was lucky and/or experienced something that is real but rare and unusual. again i learn something new everyday in salt! __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

04/17/2006, 04:54 PM	#1
EB847 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 146	conchs good or bad?

04/17/2006, 05:00 PM	#3
afishyonados Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sumter, SC Posts: 459	They can be efficient predators of other snails and some crabs.

04/17/2006, 05:01 PM	#4
anthworks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,071	Bad... There isnt enough food to support them in a normal tank. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=506385

04/17/2006, 06:26 PM	#6
Fuegofish777 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: S. California Posts: 1,191	quick to outgrow?...i think not. i have a queen conch for over a year now and it has grown, but not much. i'ld say less than 1/2". i did read that you have to have a good size sand bed for them to last long term though.

04/17/2006, 07:46 PM	#7
hopper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bossier City, La. Posts: 623	I have had a queen conch in my tank for about a year now and it is great at cleaning up the sandbed. Everything from diatom algae to detritus. Has not bothered anything and has only grown a little less than a inch, although I have noticed significant growth for some reason within the past month or so. I would highly reccommend one based on my experience.

04/17/2006, 08:22 PM	#8
fsa Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 412	Maybe, I'm missing something here? I don't know anything about your tank and how big it is. Queen conches get big, but I've never had one (I don't see where you mentioned queen conches? I have glanced over the thread 3 or 4 times). Fighting conches do not get over 3 or 4 inches long and are not predators. They do clean the sand. You do need a sand bed as they like to bury themselves in it. Frank

04/17/2006, 08:32 PM	#9
impulse Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Adalaide, South Australia Posts: 64	My vote is for Fighting conches - a hardy, no fuss snail that consumes mainly detrius. Unlike the Trochus, they can right themselves if tipped up.

04/17/2006, 09:26 PM	#11
Fuegofish777 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: S. California Posts: 1,191	mine hasnt harmed anything, i've never heard of any sold in the trade as being harmful.

04/17/2006, 10:27 PM	#14
Fuegofish777 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: S. California Posts: 1,191	wow...thats news to me. i mean i know some were predators but i hadnt ever seen them for sale. i stand corrected. and i would like to see those pics if you can find them, that has to be a cool sight. thanks for the input!

04/18/2006, 01:37 AM	#16
impulse Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Adalaide, South Australia Posts: 64	David Have you had any experience with Fighting Conches(Strombus alatus)? I think they are more suitable to contemplate than the Queen or the Crown. This is info that I have on them: "The Fighting Conch is an excellent sand sifter for DSB tanks. It doesn't grow as fast as the Queen Conch, but each one needs 2' x 2' of surface area to get enough to eat. On occasion it will bury itself completely in the sand to where one eye stalk is all you can see, and may not resurface for two weeks. This is normal, and perhaps that is its growing period. They jump quite high with a very powerful foot. The snout extends across sand and glass, but never on the rockwork, taking up detritus from the sandbed like a little vaccuum cleaner. The foot helps it to burrow in the sand, as it often does, and also can shoot this little mollusc quickly to another spot when it feels threatened. This "jumping" behavior is what gave them the "fighting" part of their nickname, as they are actually peaceful scavengers that will not harm things in the reef. It does also have a hidden spine, but this is used only in defense; it has not bothered any of the inquisitive fish in my tank."

04/18/2006, 01:53 AM	#17
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	I've had 2 conchs. One was a queen conch and grew to large and died in my 55 gallon. The other I still have and is a smaller figthing conch, I believe. Some call it a "tongan" fighting conch maybe. Its only 1'', so it still can get enough food. I keep it in my 75 gallon though, still. __________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD

04/18/2006, 03:22 PM	#19
mike89t Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chandler, Az Posts: 1,889	The rule of thumb is that you need about 1-2 square feet of open sand per inch of shell lenght to sustain a conch. A Queen Conch will starve in all but the largest of tanks as they can reach the size of a football. __________________ Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach that person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks. Current Tank Info: Sold my 150G reef tank. :^(

04/18/2006, 05:33 PM	#20
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I accidentally have 2 fighting conches, one Tongan, one not. They're excellent---I have a corner tank with a deep cave (thin row of rock supporting megarock roof---so a lot of open sand and debris acccumulation, so I have a front lawn conch and a back. I thought the first was dead, due to a prolonged no-show after a cyano outbreak and treatment. The minute the replacement hit the sand, conch 1 showed up again and ran loops around the new guy, then went off on her own. #1 handles anything but cyano, and tried that. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.