only Turbo shells left

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 10:31 AM

Im having a problem with my Turbo population. In the last 4 nights I have lost 5 Turbos. Only the shells remain.I have a banded shrimp,2 cleaner shrimp, various red legged and blue legged hermits. Pair of clarkiis,yellow tank,flame angel,lawn mower blenny, who could be the culprit.

chujai · 05/13/2008, 10:33 AM

when i first started my tank, i bought some red legged hermits thinking they were scarlet hermits.... i noticed they loved to hunt for new shells.. after the first week all the red legs got a new home.

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 10:36 AM

but none of the red legs have a new shell, they are left empty.

dzeadow · 05/13/2008, 10:50 AM

how old's the tank? I just had a turbo die because I transfered my inhabitants to a new tank and didn't realize there wasn't much algae in the tank so it probably starved.. I've been putting nori in to suppliment until the system gets going again w/ algae. could be predation tho.

Longchamp · 05/13/2008, 11:08 AM

Large groups of deaths indicate something other than starvation, i think.

Check all your parameters including copper. Maybe the CBS or hermits are preying on them. Seems unlikely though.

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 11:32 AM

These are newly introduced only 4 days ago. All parameters are ok but I dont have a copper test. Ive never had to use copper. There is plenty of algae on the glass for them to eat. I had a problem before cause the LFS sold me preditor snails collected on the Pacific coast but I put all of them in the refugium.

useskaforevil · 05/13/2008, 11:35 AM

when my nano over heated it took the turbos a few days to die, any chance the shop you got them from couldv'e cooked them

Eklikewhoa · 05/13/2008, 11:38 AM

The hermits ate them.

bryman · 05/13/2008, 01:19 PM

If you haven't already, you might want to check all your water parameters. I had snails dying too, and when I checked my PH and dKH were way too high. I am doing large water changes now to bring things back to normal, and the snails are starting to move around more.

JKDMan · 05/13/2008, 01:21 PM

hermits are probably the killers

Kevomac · 05/13/2008, 02:33 PM

Not likely, but could be another predator. How old is the tank? Any new rock that could have brought hitchikers? Also, how did you acclimate them. They are very sensitive to changes in water chemistry. I've heard they are especially sensitive to sudden changes in salinity.

shred5 · 05/13/2008, 03:12 PM

Sounds like the possibility you might have a mantis shrimp in your tank...

Dave

dcombs44 · 05/13/2008, 04:05 PM

could be a number of things. Hermits, copper, cone snails, etc. I've lost many of my snails to predatory cone snails preying on them. Look around the foot of the snails that are still alive. You may see tiny cone shaped snails on them.

Could also be a mantis as mentioned.

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 04:12 PM

I had and disposed of 18 gorilla crabs 2 snapping shrimp and a mantis the 1st few months. All hitchhickers from the live rock I started with. The tank is 11 months old. The parameters are fine. The only problem I have is Turbo bodys vanishing. The shells are empty, now at least 7.
No NO2 no NH3, a little phosphate and Ca 400

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 04:23 PM

dcombs44 there is a cone snail in the tank about 1/2 inch long collected on the Carribean side of Costa Rica, but it is always cleaning algae on the glass.

dcombs44 · 05/13/2008, 04:29 PM

Probably not the correct species.

These guys are only a couple millimeters long. I've seen 10 or so on the underside of a atrea snail.

TellyFish · 05/13/2008, 05:08 PM

Predator. Watch your tank closely... esp. at night.

Many possibilities, for me it was a foot-long eunice worm. Took out 25+ snails, 3 shrimp, etc... over 1 year.

thanks,
-j

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 05:51 PM

TellyFish this is exactly what Im going to do. You can always find out more at night. Thanks all

pf1130 · 05/13/2008, 07:37 PM

After reading this thread I took a good luck at my snails ( I too have had trouble keeping atlantic and mexican snails alive) and I do indeed see very small white snail like things on one of my snails shells. Does anyone have a picture of what these things look like? And how do I get rid of them? I only have 3 atlantic turbo snails left. :-(

mbbuna · 05/13/2008, 07:42 PM

geared more towards clams but the removal is the same

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php

jimitoCR · 05/13/2008, 09:49 PM

The bodies are gone in one night and the shell is empty.They are not loose in the tank because the NO2 and NH3 is 0. Something is eating them in one night.

bryman · 05/13/2008, 10:19 PM

OMG I hope that Cone snail is not the kind that can kill humans in like 10 minutes!

05/13/2008, 10:31 AM	#1
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	only Turbo shells left Im having a problem with my Turbo population. In the last 4 nights I have lost 5 Turbos. Only the shells remain.I have a banded shrimp,2 cleaner shrimp, various red legged and blue legged hermits. Pair of clarkiis,yellow tank,flame angel,lawn mower blenny, who could be the culprit.

05/13/2008, 10:36 AM	#3
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	but none of the red legs have a new shell, they are left empty. __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef ASM G-4X, Sequence Dart closed loop Current Tank Info: 180 mixed and 120 FOWLR

05/13/2008, 10:50 AM	#4
dzeadow Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bozeman, MT Posts: 2,589	how old's the tank? I just had a turbo die because I transfered my inhabitants to a new tank and didn't realize there wasn't much algae in the tank so it probably starved.. I've been putting nori in to suppliment until the system gets going again w/ algae. could be predation tho. __________________ - Danny Current Tank Info: Dual 50 Breeder system, 30g custom sump/fuge, MSX200, Tank1-6x24T5 retro, Tank2-4x39T5 retro

05/13/2008, 11:32 AM	#6
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	These are newly introduced only 4 days ago. All parameters are ok but I dont have a copper test. Ive never had to use copper. There is plenty of algae on the glass for them to eat. I had a problem before cause the LFS sold me preditor snails collected on the Pacific coast but I put all of them in the refugium. __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef ASM G-4X, Sequence Dart closed loop Current Tank Info: 180 mixed and 120 FOWLR

05/13/2008, 11:35 AM	#7
useskaforevil Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: kent, ohio Posts: 1,012	when my nano over heated it took the turbos a few days to die, any chance the shop you got them from couldv'e cooked them __________________ "and the delicate mechanism stripped its gears" Current Tank Info: 80gallon bowfront

05/13/2008, 10:33 AM	#2
chujai Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 188	when i first started my tank, i bought some red legged hermits thinking they were scarlet hermits.... i noticed they loved to hunt for new shells.. after the first week all the red legs got a new home.

05/13/2008, 11:08 AM	#5
Longchamp Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: baltimore Posts: 341	Large groups of deaths indicate something other than starvation, i think. Check all your parameters including copper. Maybe the CBS or hermits are preying on them. Seems unlikely though.

05/13/2008, 11:38 AM	#8
Eklikewhoa Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Above water Posts: 1,442	The hermits ate them.

05/13/2008, 01:19 PM	#9
bryman Aquascape Destroyer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 1,104	If you haven't already, you might want to check all your water parameters. I had snails dying too, and when I checked my PH and dKH were way too high. I am doing large water changes now to bring things back to normal, and the snails are starting to move around more. __________________ PVITAWA! Current Tank Info: 90G Tech

05/13/2008, 01:21 PM	#10
JKDMan Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 187	hermits are probably the killers

05/13/2008, 02:33 PM	#11
Kevomac Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Mesquite, Tx. Posts: 562	Not likely, but could be another predator. How old is the tank? Any new rock that could have brought hitchikers? Also, how did you acclimate them. They are very sensitive to changes in water chemistry. I've heard they are especially sensitive to sudden changes in salinity. __________________ "I reject your reality and substitute my own" Mythbusters

05/13/2008, 03:12 PM	#12
shred5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Waukesha , WI Posts: 4,998	Sounds like the possibility you might have a mantis shrimp in your tank... Dave

05/13/2008, 04:05 PM	#13
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	could be a number of things. Hermits, copper, cone snails, etc. I've lost many of my snails to predatory cone snails preying on them. Look around the foot of the snails that are still alive. You may see tiny cone shaped snails on them. Could also be a mantis as mentioned. __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

05/13/2008, 04:12 PM	#14
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	I had and disposed of 18 gorilla crabs 2 snapping shrimp and a mantis the 1st few months. All hitchhickers from the live rock I started with. The tank is 11 months old. The parameters are fine. The only problem I have is Turbo bodys vanishing. The shells are empty, now at least 7. No NO2 no NH3, a little phosphate and Ca 400 __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef ASM G-4X, Sequence Dart closed loop Current Tank Info: 180 mixed and 120 FOWLR

05/13/2008, 04:23 PM	#15
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	dcombs44 there is a cone snail in the tank about 1/2 inch long collected on the Carribean side of Costa Rica, but it is always cleaning algae on the glass. __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef ASM G-4X, Sequence Dart closed loop Current Tank Info: 180 mixed and 120 FOWLR

05/13/2008, 04:29 PM	#16
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	Probably not the correct species. These guys are only a couple millimeters long. I've seen 10 or so on the underside of a atrea snail. __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

05/13/2008, 05:08 PM	#17
TellyFish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chicago 60607 Posts: 1,130	Predator. Watch your tank closely... esp. at night. Many possibilities, for me it was a foot-long eunice worm. Took out 25+ snails, 3 shrimp, etc... over 1 year. thanks, -j __________________ ...and life spirals into astonishing diversity. Current Tank Info: Hawaiian inspired 109g Miracles Rimless - 100g Prop Tank - 300g total system volume

05/13/2008, 05:51 PM	#18
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	TellyFish this is exactly what Im going to do. You can always find out more at night. Thanks all __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef ASM G-4X, Sequence Dart closed loop Current Tank Info: 180 mixed and 120 FOWLR

05/13/2008, 07:37 PM	#19
pf1130 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 100	After reading this thread I took a good luck at my snails ( I too have had trouble keeping atlantic and mexican snails alive) and I do indeed see very small white snail like things on one of my snails shells. Does anyone have a picture of what these things look like? And how do I get rid of them? I only have 3 atlantic turbo snails left. :-(

05/13/2008, 07:42 PM	#20
mbbuna Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 6,847	geared more towards clams but the removal is the same http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php

05/13/2008, 09:49 PM	#21
jimitoCR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 107	The bodies are gone in one night and the shell is empty.They are not loose in the tank because the NO2 and NH3 is 0. Something is eating them in one night. __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef ASM G-4X, Sequence Dart closed loop Current Tank Info: 180 mixed and 120 FOWLR

05/13/2008, 10:19 PM	#22
bryman Aquascape Destroyer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 1,104	OMG I hope that Cone snail is not the kind that can kill humans in like 10 minutes! __________________ PVITAWA! Current Tank Info: 90G Tech