No food for snails

zaitmi · 06/27/2017, 10:04 AM

I have an upgraded my new 10 gallon tank i have 2 snails cerite and mexican but as the tank they dont have any food. I have given hikari algae wafers but they dont eat that. What to give them.

mcgyvr · 06/27/2017, 10:32 AM

There should be plenty in a tank for snails to eat..
But the algae wafers should/will get eaten if they are hungry..

I have NEVER purposefully fed snails nor crabs..

squeakymcmurdo · 06/27/2017, 12:39 PM

Same boat with snails needing fed.

I ordered the 2.5 gallon snail package and a few extra nassarius from Reef Cleaners that added up to 13 snails for my newly established 29 gallon. They sent me waaaaaay more than that.

I also have 5 blue leg hermits. I've been feeding them Cobalt algae wafers and Omega One small Super Color sinking pellets. The snails come right out when I drop the pellets in.

zaitmi · 06/28/2017, 12:41 AM

Ok..when i give my fish food hikari pellets they are least bothered and are mostly stick to my glass. Lets hope they get enough food from it.

Sk8r · 06/28/2017, 09:09 AM

ordinary fishfood.

ReefEco · 06/28/2017, 09:34 AM

Smaller snails my have trouble with larger pellets or fish food - algae based flake may work better. But, most snails are designed to scrape films from surfaces. You can try to get some dry sand dollars (or SW safe small tiles), wet a piece of nori, and apply it to the sand dollar/tile. Dry it in a toaster oven on low for a few minutes. Place the whole thing in the tank for snails (or fish) to graze on. Then just remove when cleaned.

mcgyvr · 06/28/2017, 09:48 AM

snails typically eat "microscopic" or very small particles/algae/film,etc.. in the tank that you usually just don't even see..

If you need to feed a snail you have already screwed up IMO.. There is plenty of food in any tank even a fairly new one..

AlSimmons · 06/28/2017, 11:14 AM

I wouldn't worry about feeding the snails either. The minute you do this they no longer function as janitors now they're pets. They're just not worth the risk of fouling up the water due to overfeeding IMO, but it's your choice though. Good luck!

06/27/2017, 10:04 AM	#1
zaitmi Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kolkata, India Posts: 446	No food for snails I have an upgraded my new 10 gallon tank i have 2 snails cerite and mexican but as the tank they dont have any food. I have given hikari algae wafers but they dont eat that. What to give them. __________________ Current Tank Info : 10 Gallon Sumpless Tank, 3 "Live Sand Light kessil a80 Live Stock Info : 1 tomato clown

06/27/2017, 10:32 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	There should be plenty in a tank for snails to eat.. But the algae wafers should/will get eaten if they are hungry.. I have NEVER purposefully fed snails nor crabs.. __________________ Who me?

06/28/2017, 12:41 AM	#4
zaitmi Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kolkata, India Posts: 446	Ok..when i give my fish food hikari pellets they are least bothered and are mostly stick to my glass. Lets hope they get enough food from it. __________________ Current Tank Info : 10 Gallon Sumpless Tank, 3 "Live Sand Light kessil a80 Live Stock Info : 1 tomato clown

06/28/2017, 09:09 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	ordinary fishfood. __________________ 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%.

06/28/2017, 09:34 AM	#6
ReefEco Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Truckee, CA Posts: 71	Smaller snails my have trouble with larger pellets or fish food - algae based flake may work better. But, most snails are designed to scrape films from surfaces. You can try to get some dry sand dollars (or SW safe small tiles), wet a piece of nori, and apply it to the sand dollar/tile. Dry it in a toaster oven on low for a few minutes. Place the whole thing in the tank for snails (or fish) to graze on. Then just remove when cleaned. __________________ DIY Junkie and Aquaculture Advocate \| (New user name, member since 2001) Current Tank Info: Planning the 300g Dream Tank

06/27/2017, 12:39 PM	#3
squeakymcmurdo Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Star Valley, Wyoming Posts: 139	Same boat with snails needing fed. I ordered the 2.5 gallon snail package and a few extra nassarius from Reef Cleaners that added up to 13 snails for my newly established 29 gallon. They sent me waaaaaay more than that. I also have 5 blue leg hermits. I've been feeding them Cobalt algae wafers and Omega One small Super Color sinking pellets. The snails come right out when I drop the pellets in.

06/28/2017, 09:48 AM	#7
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	snails typically eat "microscopic" or very small particles/algae/film,etc.. in the tank that you usually just don't even see.. If you need to feed a snail you have already screwed up IMO.. There is plenty of food in any tank even a fairly new one.. __________________ Who me?

06/28/2017, 11:14 AM	#8
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	I wouldn't worry about feeding the snails either. The minute you do this they no longer function as janitors now they're pets. They're just not worth the risk of fouling up the water due to overfeeding IMO, but it's your choice though. Good luck!