More and more snails

[Frizza]

Hi everyone,

I have noticed in my refugium that I now have at least 10 or so baby snails, not sure what type but it does look like they have a hard shell. I was a bit suprised as my snails have never bred before! Anyway, not really a problem or anything just thought I'd share it with you

[ziggy222]

i have'nt heard of many sw snails breeding.the tonga nassarious snails breed but the babies don't live to adulthood.the brown nassarious do,and stomatella snails are breeding in my tank by the hundreds.

[Frizza]

That's why I was suprised, I do have some nassarious snails in the main tank and also some turbos but thats it. I will keep an eye on them to see what they look like. Some of them are very small whilst a few others are growing fairly well. If I get a chance of a good photo I'll take one.

[omard]

If same as in my tank, they will quickly breed to nuisance status. Just wait awhile and you will have many, many more.

Since I introduced my sixline the snail population seems to have definitely gotten under control or at least stable. I frequently have to go on a "snail hunt" after lights go out as that is when they come out to feed on algae on glass. Not a bad thing, but not in the hundreds. I think Matt pointed out the fact that they must be using up lots of calcium creating those shells. I have hundreds upon hundreds of empty shells in planter next to tank.

I suspect the sixline must eat the eggs or very little ones.

Good Luck!

[reefboy23]

Originally Posted by omard

If same as in my tank, they will quickly breed to nuisance status. Just wait awhile and you will have many, many more.

Since I introduced my sixline the snail population seems to have definitely gotten under control or at least stable. I frequently have to go on a "snail hunt" after lights go out as that is when they come out to feed on algae on glass. Not a bad thing, but not in the hundreds. I think Matt pointed out the fact that they must be using up lots of calcium creating those shells. I have hundreds upon hundreds of empty shells in planter next to tank.

I suspect the sixline must eat the eggs or very little ones.

Good Luck!

Gotta love the six-line.

[omard]

Originally Posted by reefboy23

Gotta love the six-line.

Darn right!

(Gotta repost! )

Sixline Wrasse

Scientific Name: Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Family: Labridae

Besides its incredible beauty, it is great fun to watch whizzing around tank, playing in heavy water current and "schooling" around with other fish.

It is a fish with wonderful characteristics.

It will eat flatworms, bristle worms, small nuisance snails (esp. those that prey on clams) and is known to act as a "cleaner" to other fish that might be afflicted with some parasite such as Ick.

I often see it carefully inspecting my larger fish, which will hold still for it to do so.

While it does carry a bad rep for being overly aggressive, mine is the most docile, mellow and fish friendly in the tank. The reason being it was the last fish to be added to the population, other then my flame wrasse, which it does not bother at all. It seems to be that they will not tolerate new fish.

He has lots of personality and fun to watch him following around my coral beauty which his best friend.

The only downside that I have heard of, is that it also loves copepods which will put it in competition with other pod eaters, such as mandarins. But my mandarin is a fat little sausage so does not seem to be a problem in my tank.

So for a cheap, colorful and playful addition to a already established fish population, consider adding a sixline wrasse.

It is the perfect reef fish.

I love mine.

[Frizza]

Funny you should mention the wrasse as I actually got one a few months ago, I just haven't updated my signature yet! At the moment I have only seen the snails in the refugium so I am quite happy for them to be there, if they do manage to get in the main tank then I'm sure something will consider them as a quick snack

[ziggy222]

since the topic of wrass came up.i was wondering.if i got a wrass,would i need a lid?my last one jumped out of the tank and if thats common i think i'll just get another clown.

[bulltrader]

I have 2 wrasses (for almost a year) and an open tank and no jumpers

[omard]

A "happy" environment and nobody chasing them...probably will have no reason to jump out of tank...don't think they are like trout that jump for the fun of it, or for feeding on flying critters.

(I'd jump out also..)