Another Conch Question

[Ryan22]

I bought a queen conch from Aqua Dreams on Monday, great store by the way, if your anywhere near the western Mass area, you should check it out. Anyway, so far it hasn't moved very much. I can tell that it's alive and eating, because the area immediatly surrounding it is being cleaned. I think It's just being shy about moving during the day. It is, However moving at night, and every morning I find it in a different place, and flipped over. I get the feeling that it is trying to climb the glass and falls off, based on where I find it. Can these guys right themselves? I've been reaching in and flipping it back over, but I don't want to keep handling it, mostly because it seems to be taking it's time acclimating itself to it's new home.

TIA,
Ryan

 

[Anonymous]

You know I have 2 fighter Conch and one ALWAYS just digs itself into the sand. If I take him out to make sure he is alive he goes RIGHT back.

Gladly I have 2 and one actually cleans. LOL

 

[Anonymous]

They can easily right themselves unless they're too weak. It could have sustained osmotic shock from the LFS or from your tank. Or, it may just need some time to adjust to your water parameters (most likely). If it's eating then it should be fine.

 

[SPC]

Posted by Guy:

They can easily right themselves unless they're too weak. It could have sustained osmotic shock from the LFS or from your tank.

-I agree with Guy, how did you acclimate him Ryan?

BTW, did you get the E mail I sent the other day Guy?
Steve

 

[Ryan22]

Steve,

I drip acclimated it for about 2 1/2 hours, I use a piece of air tubing with an air valve on the end. It works pretty well.

 

[SPC]

No problem there then Ryan. When they are young, an inch or less, they will climb the glass. The only other thing I can think of is if something might be harassing him at night.
Steve

 

[Ryan22]

Well it's about 2-2 1/2 inches, maybe that's why it keeps falling off the glass :lol: I do have a little rock crab in the tank, but it isn't anywhere near big enough to kncok over the conch. It's only about the size of a dime. The only fish in the tank are a marroon clown and a chalk seabass both are about 3 inches long, and show no interest in the conch at all. As far as they know it could just be a new rock. By the way Amonia, Nitrite and Nitrates all test 0.

 

[2poor2reef]

I have a 3" queen conch that I kept in a refugium for a year. When I moved it to another tank with one sole lawnmower blenny I noticed that it's behavior completely changed. It used to be our primarily during the day. Now it hides during the day and comes out primarily at night.

Regardless of the size or aggressiveness of the fish, I think these conchs are programmed to consider them a threat.