Snails

[MarkW19]

I just added 2 turbo snails into my tank today, along with 4 hermits.

The hermits are doing great, immediately going all over the tank and eating algae/picking about.

But the snails don't seem to move. One is stuck on the side of the rock, and hasn't moved at all for an hour (it's not even "wobbling" as they eat etc., just no movement at all), and the other is just sitting on the bottom of the sand, I don't think it's even come out of it's shell yet.

Anyone any advice? Where should I place them so they come out of their shells, and can they right themselves if they fall over etc.?

Thanks for any help.

 

[usmcmarc]

Water parameters? What type of acclimation and how long?

I'll bet they are doing what snails do. Sit in one spot for hours. Mine do it all the time. But to be sure, we need the above info...

 

[MarkW19]

Well, one was in the same spot for about 3 hours, then when I went back in after 10 mins, he'd gone all the way up to the very top of the rock with his shell sticking out of the water! The other one has done a similar thing So all seems well!

I'd ideally like them on my sand and glass though, with the crabs working the rock...

 

[roka64]

Turbos like the rock and glass. Nassarius snails are great for moving sand....
And it looks really cool, when you feed the tanks and they pop up from under the sand.

 

[melosu58]

They usually spend the first couple hours acclimating themselves to the tank. Esp if you did not do it enough.

 

[MarkW19]

I did a 1/2 hour acclimation, floating the bag in the tank for 15 mins first, then opening it, and putting a bit of tank water into the bag every 4 mins over the 1 1/2 hours, discarding half of the water in the bag 3 times throughout.

I think I'll get another 4 hermits and another 2 turbos (as LFS's over here don't appear to have anything other than Turbos available!), and i'll trying sticking my turbos to the glass initially

 

[cmor1701d]

Snails are very SG sensitive. They should be drip acclimated for an hour or more. I usually go two hours before addinng them to the tank.

 

[saltybob]

I will tell you what... Just throw them in. did that the first time and they where fine... but

I wont do it again.

 

[MarkW19]

I want my snails to start on the algae on my glass, but they've just been on the rock all the time! Can I pick them up and place them on the glass so they stick to it? Or should I just leave them alone?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Just leave them alone. Just like any pets, they'll do what they darn well please.

If you want your glass clean, get a cleaner magnet and clean it yourself! Even when snails "clean" glass, they still leave their little mouthprints all over it and you need to clean it anyway. When mine are on my glass, I yell at them to stop being lazy and get back on the rocks where they belong!

 

[MarkW19]

Fair enough