snail deaths!!!!

we used to have 4 turbo snals --- we are down to 1. we have not figured out why they died. We are battleing an algae situation right now and are curious if we should wait to add more or get some now to help with our algae. i am under the impression that snails do not eat hair algae. Is this correct? if not i suppose they could have starved. not certain tho. any input would be helpful.

 

What are your nitrate levels? SG? Are you running a grounding probe? Have you tested for copper?
Turbo snails will eat hair algae

 

there are a few snails that will HA.

not sure why they died without any water params or any other info we should know

 

nitrite 0, nitrate 20 ppm, ph 8.0, sg 1.026, water temp 79 degrees. i have not tested for copper. i have other inverts that seem to be doing fine.

 

i dont have a grounding probe yet. what kind of effect would this have on snails and not other critters

 

I have read that a lot of snails bought for the SW tank in LFS are not warm water snails, so they will only live months at a time. I don't remember were I read this. I'll try to find the link and attach it.

 

Live awhile

Yeah I've read close to the same thing, saying that snails and other clean-up crew don't last long. Unknown why they dont last long or where i heard that.

How long you had them? I think they have short lives.

 

before I put the ground probe on my 55, I kept losing snails. I tested the water with an amp probe and found I had stray voltage. I got the ground probe and it made a world of difference. When I moved everything to the 135, they seemed to multiply. So, that might be your answer. I have found though, hermit crabs, the larger variety don't last so long.

 

Do you have any hermit crabs? If so that can be your answer. Hermits eat snails and take their shells. Many fish love snails. Hell even we eat snails it's a delicacy. Get some more. Astrae snails are good ones.

 

I would say it's either stray voltage or I see you have a coral banded shrimp. Snails are the first things to go with stray voltage. And I wouldn't puit it past a CBS to grab itself a free snack
Turbo's live fine in our home aquaria. I've had my two going on 10 months now, they are the size of golf balls.