what snails do you like
- Thread starter flanders
- Start date
seven ephors":2lsxyw9m said:>...i was about to buy about 48 more
Try to get ready to grow some algea when majority of them die?
Seriously, for a 70 gal, what you have already should be enough.
glad i asked... that is helpful.. i have a bit of an alge problem now.. geuss 48 in bulk was a bit nutty.. perhaps ill buy 3-6 instead and see how that goes
thanks all
Guy, those "strombus graizers" aka Strombus maculatus are not what they appear. They are from a different family - Columbellidae. That doesn't change their "function" in our tanks, though. I have quite a few and are multiplying.
I don't like bumble-bee snails - they're meat eaters.
Astraea tend to fall over and never get up - and it's also highly likely that they are from temperate regions.
Nassarius are meat eaters as well.
Most snails eat diatom algae, though. If you have problems with string/hair, bigger algae, you will have to get a fish or a sea urchin.
It has been documented that urchins are major contributors to algae "problems" on a reef. They scrape the rock really well, where as fish just nub on algae and "garden" them. This also accelerates growth (which is in one way good, because it helps clean the water of nitrate and other molecules, and provides fish with a natural diet ).
I don't like bumble-bee snails - they're meat eaters.
Astraea tend to fall over and never get up - and it's also highly likely that they are from temperate regions.
Nassarius are meat eaters as well.
Most snails eat diatom algae, though. If you have problems with string/hair, bigger algae, you will have to get a fish or a sea urchin.
It has been documented that urchins are major contributors to algae "problems" on a reef. They scrape the rock really well, where as fish just nub on algae and "garden" them. This also accelerates growth (which is in one way good, because it helps clean the water of nitrate and other molecules, and provides fish with a natural diet
).I like Trochus, Maragaritas and Ceriths to name a few. I also like Turbo fluctuosus (Mexican Turbo Snail) as they'll munch on any hair algaes and soft macros that the little guys don't seem to touch.
Conchs are also great for some of the soft macros and hair algaes, but Queen Conchs grow too large too fast IME. Strombus alatus (Fighting Conch) would be my choice for a conch. Hermits can be good hair algae consumers too but I'm not a big hermit fan.
Some of the other snail species mentioned above are better detritivores than the ones I mentioned, but I prefer to remove detritus myself anyway.
Conchs are also great for some of the soft macros and hair algaes, but Queen Conchs grow too large too fast IME. Strombus alatus (Fighting Conch) would be my choice for a conch. Hermits can be good hair algae consumers too but I'm not a big hermit fan.
Some of the other snail species mentioned above are better detritivores than the ones I mentioned, but I prefer to remove detritus myself anyway.
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