turbo snails in reef tanks

[fungia]

i have read turbo snails dont live long in warmer reef tanks but i have also read they do very well for years in some people's tanks. what is your experience with them?

 

[Anonymous]

I don't care too much for them, mostly for the habit they have of not being able to right themselves when they fall off of the rock and dying and yacking up the entire daggone tank. /end rant

There are many others that IME do a better job.

 

[utahsaltreefer]

My experience is that they mow through algae better than the other snails I've had, but they grow too big then fall over and can't right themselves. I seem to lose about 1-3 a month that way :? I need to get a better hood or something so I can flip them back rightside up when it happens easier. I have had a couple though that have lived in there for going on 3 years now. Apparently they learned how not to fall on their backs

 

[ChrisRD]

Assuming we are talking about Turbo fluctuosus, I've never had a problem with them and have always found them to be excellent algae eaters. In fact, they're the only animal I've kept that will eat red cotton algae.

They do grow large/quickly and tend to plow over small frags, etc. although IME they are not as bad as Conchs in that regard.

As for the temp arguments - I've heard the same thing. AFAIK these snails are native to such places as the Sea of Cortez where water temps regularly reach mid 80s, so it doesn't make sense to me that our tank temps would be a problem (I usually keep mine in the upper 70s)...

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah depends on what you're calling "turbo" the majority of sellers out there pretty much put lump blanket names on everything they're absolutely clueless about.

Look at Acropora sp. hell even those who know a good deal of species have had acropora sp. as a coral (reefgeek is an example, but he'll put some other cool adjectives to make it sound super rare ).

Seller: Hey cool this is a neat coral
Buyer: What coral is it
Seller: Acropora,
Buyer: What type?
Seller: A branching one!
Buyer: Oh? Anything more specific?
Seller: ????
Seller: STAGHORN!

 

[Chubosco]

I should know this but because it is old in nature to my lazy forgotten knowledge and I am not looking it up... are we talking about the snails that move through the tank like blinking salt trucks with their antennas or the conical tepee big snails? that can't get up. Because those salt truck snails will die if you don't have tons of algae.

 

[Anonymous]

Yah, the stinking big ol' salt truck with no wheel snails that can't get up and eat tons of algae Thats them 8O :lol:

 

[stubbsz]

I've had astreas alive for years... or do you mean the big round turbos. They seem to either have issues and fall off and die or they seem to be hardier and live for ever... I've not bought any for ages and I seem to have plenty still... no algae issues and they seem to be able to get from rock to glass when I haven't cleaned the glass to well.

The ones I don't buy anymore are Margaritas and the little buggers that do about 10 miles an hour and like to borrow... both species last days in my tank before dying.
-Adrian[/i]

 

[eardison]

I see the Margaritas sold as turbos locally. I look for Astreas when I want a power eater. I have Astreas that are 3 or 4 years old. The Margaritas cannot right themselves when they fall.

I'm sure it's just a naming convention issue. How many names are there for a Bristletooth Tang, right?

 

[Anonymous]

But all bristletooths are in the same genus at least

Can't say the same about calling Margaritas, Trochus, and Astreas all Turbos.

 

[eardison]

OK then, well.. OK.. LOL.. :roll: Bad example GreshamH. My point is people (at least in the Tampa Bay area) group a number of snails together and call them all Turbos. I'll just exit without an example.