snail poop

[ccny]

hi guys, i have another silly question. i only have snails in the tank right now and it seems that even though i stir the sand, there are always these soft brown pellets on the sand and in bunches on the live rock where the snails have been. is this snail poop and is this harmful at all?

 

[radcast2]

Yes they are snail poo poo's. After a while your sandbed will be alive with critters that will eat it.
Why do you stir the sandbed? You should leave it alone for a while.

 

[ccny]

it just doesn't look aesthetic with all that poop. i guess i really shouldn't mess with it but i still remember the soft white sand in my new tank and now the snails act they're 5 year olds in the pool. i have astreas now, would ceriths eat that stuff or just make more of it?

 

[radcast2]

just make more of it. You can get a serpent star, shrimp (cleaner or peppermint), they seem to do pretty good. But it is the critters that are in the sandbed that will do the best.
Pretty White sand doesnt last long in this hobby.

 

[ccny]

i was planning on a couple of peppermint shrimp but i have a 12 gallon tank. not sure if a starfish would be comfy in it after a while.

 

[Jolieve]

Do one peppermint in that size tank. I don't think there is enough room for two. Just wait for your sandbed to finish activating, over time the critters living in your sand will start consuming the detrius and your sand will be pretty and white again. No worries, just takes time and patience.

J.