How many snails do I want in my 30 Gallon reeftank ?

Aseidman · 08/08/2006, 09:05 AM

I have a 30 gallon reeftank. My snail population has been dwindling slowly over the last 2 years. I see sme great deals on snail on-lin, but I am trying to fogure out how many snails t go for. Is there a rule of thumb regardign the number of snails you want per gallon of water ? Is 25 new snails too much ? I am probably down to 5-8 snails right now, so 25 Nasarius snails would bring me to 33 snauils in a 30 gallon tank ? too many ? not enough ?

Please advise.

PS: I do have a reasonable number of small red and blue hermits..

Thanks,
Allen

meco65 · 08/08/2006, 09:41 AM

Going by Drs Foster & Smith thay say 26 or so in there preimum reef cleaner pack. Here is a link to look at.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1944

chrisstie · 08/08/2006, 09:45 AM

Are you 100% sure your snails are disappearing? I know its very hard to keep track of nassarius snails- they may or may not come out at feeding.. I thought I had some gone missing but it turns out they're all there.. took me about 3 weeks to see them all at one time again

RudeBoy · 08/08/2006, 09:49 AM

That sounds like a lot of snails to me. I use to keep a mixture of 20 (Trochus, Nassarius and Trubos) snails in my 29g. About 5-7 of those being Nassarius snails. Serpeant Stars are a great bottom feeders too. I'd get rid of the Blue Hermits though... they will turn on your snails if there's not enough to eat.

meco65 · 08/08/2006, 10:29 AM

Rude boy is right about the hermits turning on your snails. I had a turbo snail that I had to put back on the glass once or twice a week as he would let go and end up on the sand upside down. He did this one to may time and I found him being eaten by one of my hermits, the hermit traded shells with him for a day or two than went back to his old shell. I almost took him out of my tank. It was a bad thing, but that how it happens in the ocean. He killed my snail for a new house than did not even keep it.

andrew.flavell · 08/08/2006, 11:03 AM

Ive just ordered 20 cerith snails to help with the algea, but have two red leg crabs and a hermit. Are my new additions gonna become lunch??
Bought my luck if so!!

Aseidman · 08/08/2006, 11:45 AM

i am sure I am loosing some of the snails as I find their shells on my sand ! It is possible that my hermits are occationally killing them, but hey.. that is the way it happens in natue and at 1 dollar or less a snail, I am not too worried. Thehermts add to the look and feel of the tank, so i do not mind the occational kill. It is clearly not an everyday event in my tank. The tank is up for 2.5 years now and I still have most of the original snails.

ericwebster · 08/08/2006, 01:29 PM

I had a little CSI:Underwater this morning myself.

Empty hermit shell and a hermit with a new "snail like" shell whom looked unreasonably guilty.

CSI: Underwater

SaCe · 08/08/2006, 01:47 PM

I have never had luck keeping any Hermits with snails. The Hermits I've had have eaten them all!! I'll go for snails, but never Hermits again.

andrew.flavell · 08/08/2006, 02:00 PM

Thanks all cheer me up!!
Theyl dine in style lunch will be served around 1800 hrs tomorrow. ha ha

08/08/2006, 09:05 AM	#1
Aseidman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Staten Island, New York Posts: 454	How many snails do I want in my 30 Gallon reeftank ? I have a 30 gallon reeftank. My snail population has been dwindling slowly over the last 2 years. I see sme great deals on snail on-lin, but I am trying to fogure out how many snails t go for. Is there a rule of thumb regardign the number of snails you want per gallon of water ? Is 25 new snails too much ? I am probably down to 5-8 snails right now, so 25 Nasarius snails would bring me to 33 snauils in a 30 gallon tank ? too many ? not enough ? Please advise. PS: I do have a reasonable number of small red and blue hermits.. Thanks, Allen __________________ For don't you know it's the fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder - The Beatles Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Marine Fish only and new 30 gallon extra high reef tank

08/08/2006, 09:45 AM	#3
chrisstie Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 4,727	Are you 100% sure your snails are disappearing? I know its very hard to keep track of nassarius snails- they may or may not come out at feeding.. I thought I had some gone missing but it turns out they're all there.. took me about 3 weeks to see them all at one time again __________________ You lookin' at my wrasse? Current Tank Info: I find it odd that there are children starving in this country and yet we euthanize millions of stray dogs and cats every year and then incinerate the bodies. Not only that, but we make it illegal to butcher the meat. -MarkS

08/08/2006, 09:49 AM	#4
RudeBoy Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Greece, NY Posts: 728	That sounds like a lot of snails to me. I use to keep a mixture of 20 (Trochus, Nassarius and Trubos) snails in my 29g. About 5-7 of those being Nassarius snails. Serpeant Stars are a great bottom feeders too. I'd get rid of the Blue Hermits though... they will turn on your snails if there's not enough to eat. __________________ "Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for mankind..." - Horace Mann Current Tank Info: 65g AGA RR, 20g long Sump, ASM G2 Skimmer, Closed Loop System w/ Mag 9.5 Return, 2 AI Prime HD LED Modules, Custom Stand/Canopy, Various residents

08/08/2006, 11:45 AM	#7
Aseidman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Staten Island, New York Posts: 454	i am sure I am loosing some of the snails as I find their shells on my sand ! It is possible that my hermits are occationally killing them, but hey.. that is the way it happens in natue and at 1 dollar or less a snail, I am not too worried. Thehermts add to the look and feel of the tank, so i do not mind the occational kill. It is clearly not an everyday event in my tank. The tank is up for 2.5 years now and I still have most of the original snails. __________________ For don't you know it's the fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder - The Beatles Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Marine Fish only and new 30 gallon extra high reef tank

08/08/2006, 01:29 PM	#8
ericwebster Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 375	I had a little CSI:Underwater this morning myself. Empty hermit shell and a hermit with a new "snail like" shell whom looked unreasonably guilty. CSI: Underwater __________________ "Nobody tried to sell me the most used piece of equipment I own .. my mop." 72G Tank LTA, Pulsing Xenia, Blue Tang, Mated Maroons, 2 Damsels, Neon Goby, Watchman Goby, Algae Blenny, Peppermint Shrimp (3), CBS (1), Cleaner Shrimp Current Tank Info: 100G bow front corner. Yellow Tank, Coral Beauty, Clownfish, some SPS, LPS and Soft Corals

08/08/2006, 09:41 AM	#2
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	Going by Drs Foster & Smith thay say 26 or so in there preimum reef cleaner pack. Here is a link to look at. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1944

08/08/2006, 10:29 AM	#5
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	Rude boy is right about the hermits turning on your snails. I had a turbo snail that I had to put back on the glass once or twice a week as he would let go and end up on the sand upside down. He did this one to may time and I found him being eaten by one of my hermits, the hermit traded shells with him for a day or two than went back to his old shell. I almost took him out of my tank. It was a bad thing, but that how it happens in the ocean. He killed my snail for a new house than did not even keep it.

08/08/2006, 11:03 AM	#6
andrew.flavell Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: uk yorkshire Posts: 102	Ive just ordered 20 cerith snails to help with the algea, but have two red leg crabs and a hermit. Are my new additions gonna become lunch?? Bought my luck if so!!

08/08/2006, 01:47 PM	#9
SaCe Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 93	I have never had luck keeping any Hermits with snails. The Hermits I've had have eaten them all!! I'll go for snails, but never Hermits again.

08/08/2006, 02:00 PM	#10
andrew.flavell Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: uk yorkshire Posts: 102	Thanks all cheer me up!! Theyl dine in style lunch will be served around 1800 hrs tomorrow. ha ha