Where did all my snails go??

[pearsont74]

I know i lost som during my reef ready conversion...unfortantely but the conversion was well worth it. The tank is running better now then ever....purple coraline grow good an all over now where is didnt before.
I have added 2 starfish i caught in the gulf, they appear to be common brown starfish. I have kept a close eye on these guys and they havent touched my brown zoos....and i havent seen them takin any snails....never heard of a star fish eating snails??
do i have a rogue crab i havent seen? all my snails are gone....my sand is like a snail graveyard....all the empty shells?
my few blue leg hemits are thriving but i need a clean up crew. I hate to buy more and be feeding som mystery killer.....

any thoughts.

[BeGiNeR_7]

I have a few blue legged hermits as well and I have been having a dissappearing snail problem. I couldn't figure it out at first but I believe I have found the culpret. I didn't think it was my hermits because I have watched them crawl right over my snails and never even attempt to eat them. Well twice now I have found my smallest hermit attacking snails. I have been going down in the middle of the night just to check and there he is eating another snail. He doesn't even take their shells . I can move him to the other side of the tank and within minutes he is back at it. I have started feeding him pieces of meaty shrimp like krill and so far so good. I guess he is just like a little boy who is growing and he is just always hungry. Luckily snails don't cost that much so I can always replenish my supply. I would suggest checking things out at night and just see what you find.

[pearsont74]

does red legs eat snails??
yes they are cheap....sorta....but those hermits will find themselve in my sump if they keep on LOL

[hackteck]

i know for some reason my crabs eat some of my snails from time to time

[AquaReefer]

The only time I see my hermits around the snails is 1. the snail is flipped on its back and is no longer alive, 2. the hermit wants the shell.

[ntswift]

All of my hermits (red, blue, scarlet..) were attacking my nass. snails when i first put them in. Even now when they come out they are all over them. I think they just like to mess with the snails! Kinda like little kids messing with the old man next door.

[hackteck]

Originally Posted by AquaReefer

The only time I see my hermits around the snails is 1. the snail is flipped on its back and is no longer alive, 2. the hermit wants the shell.

yea sometimes they may fall on their backs or i may accidently knock them off the glass while cleaning and the crabs go strait for them

[pearsont74]

gettin 50 tubors and we'll see what happens
may get some nass....but im not worrys about my sand...have alot of critters thriving in there