dinotrex
Aquarium Advice Regular
What happens when snails fall on their backs? How do they get back up to their right side? I'm afraid that my hermit crabs will eat them and they have no line of defense.
Snails
- Thread starter dinotrex
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
mrpope
Aquarium Advice Activist
If their "foot" cant reach anything to grab, then they are targets for hermits. There is nothing you can really do about it short of flipping them over, but Ive noticed it doesnt happen very often unless you drop them in and they endup flipped over on the bottom. The only time it happens in my tank is when hermits actually knock them off rock. Its just nature (thats what we are trying to recreate right!)
OhTheHumanity
Aquarium Advice Activist
Astreas are the worst for flipping over. I bought 25 a couple months ago and put them all in my tank. I spent the next week flipping them back over and I'm still pulling the occasional snail off the intake of my PH's. 
I still have 15 or so left. Pleanty of shells on the bottom for my hermits now 
I finally gave up on flipping them over, I figured they were the "stupid" ones. I guess you could call it natural selection. Thank you Darwin.
I still have 15 or so left. Pleanty of shells on the bottom for my hermits now I finally gave up on flipping them over, I figured they were the "stupid" ones. I guess you could call it natural selection. Thank you Darwin.
24 hours? NE!
Aquarium Advice Freak
Forget flipping them unless you have a ton of time on your hands. Your crabs will need something to do. Certain snails will be found on their backs most of the time, others I haven't seen helpless (conchs, cerith, my astreas have been good).
dinotrex
Aquarium Advice Regular
My fears have come true, Once my snails fall on their back, Hermit Crabs don't waste time to EAT THEM!!! I love my hermit crabs but I also love my snails all the same. Sure thats nature but Nature is making waste my money on snails! and the snails are so cute and helpful to remove algea off from the glass on the inside. It's cool that the hermit crabs clean the rocks but I also need something to clean the glass. Inverts are so much cooler than fish. Will they ever live harmonusly?
24 hours? NE!
Aquarium Advice Freak
If a snail flips over and dies, it will raise your nitrate levels=bad for tank. Helpful hermit cleans up the poor, helpless snail=good- taking care of waste.
Think of it this way- by having to add a few snails once in a while you get to make new friends and see different kinds of snails.
Now, if your crabs start to like what they're doing and picking off snails that are otherwise doing their job and can keep their balance, that's another issue and I would remedy that.
Think of it this way- by having to add a few snails once in a while you get to make new friends and see different kinds of snails.
Now, if your crabs start to like what they're doing and picking off snails that are otherwise doing their job and can keep their balance, that's another issue and I would remedy that.
f-dean
Aquarium Advice Regular
nassurea snails are better at flipping, check ebay for some,
