Snails dying

[spacepony]

Anyone else ever have this problem? Nothing else seems affected, but my astrea and turbo snails are dying. My Turbo snails especially - they don't seem to last a week (I have one left...I *think*, unless he's kicking the bucket now - hasn't moved all day).

In all cases, this does NOT look to be the work of hermits or other predators. Most I've actually seen just hang at the bottom for a while, then slowly curl their foot in, and eventually the peppermint shrimp decides it's dinner, with hermits to follow suit. (All this over about two days).

My parameters seem fine (S.G. 1.022 or 23, NO3 were trace last time, ph 8.2, alk a bit low at 2.5 meq/L, I am assuming ) amm and 0 NO2). Fish, shrimp, crabs, and zoas seem fine.

Any thoughts?


On a related note, I think I may make a pair of earrings from the operculum (plural? operculii?). They're quite pretty.....

 

[jennm]

Temperature? Many species don't like heat.

Jenn

 

[spacepony]

Temp is 80 right now. I check infrequently, but I've never seen it higher than that.


....?

 

[ralph atl]

how are you acclimating them?

 

[spacepony]

dripping for about an hour....I drip everything

So, is 80 on the high side for turbos? I'm having a slow astrea die-off, too. (two gone since I put them in around March, one probably dying now, too.)

 

[weaglereefer]

Do you have enough algae for them to eat?

My tank has been hovering around 81-82 since May, and my Turbos and Astreas are doing just fine.

 

[spacepony]

Yes, to say they have enough algae to eat is like saying the BP oil spill is a little messy. I bought them for the purpose of mowing. I am, however, beginning to suspect they ate themselves to death

Anyone else with thoughts?

 

[brianjfinn]

Not sure if this is it, but I've heard if Astreas get turned over they're unable to right themselves unless they're near a rock or side wall. I don't know if that applies to turbos, but I've never heard it. Course, I'd be surprised if all of your snails decided to just start lying on their backs for a while...

 

[cr500_af]

I have the answer. You live too close for comfort to Yorkville. Our esteemed president (who has the need for a bunch of HA mowers himself) has been sneaking over to your house and stealing your CUC, replacing them with old dead shells.
I mean seriously... he has admin access and can see your address. What more proof do you need? :joke:

On a serious note, I've noticed a little of the same thing. I drip acclimate snails, just like I'm supposed to. For every five I put in the tank, one or two are dead within 12 hours.
I'm wondering; are snails very sensitive to water temp shocks? I have a theory that during the dripping process, the water in the dripping vessel is getting cooler the whole time... the water dripping in is the right temp, but the container is bleeding warmth off and getting closer to ambient temp.
I've decided that as an experiment, I'm going to reseal the bags and float them for 15 minutes after the dripping is over. If my losses stop, I guess I'll know I'm onto something.

 

[spike]

Man do those turbos stink!!!! If you pick them up you will take days to wash the stink off.

 

[spacepony]

cr500_af;531175 wrote: I have the answer. You live too close for comfort to Yorkville. Our esteemed president (who has the need for a bunch of HA mowers himself) has been sneaking over to your house and stealing your CUC, replacing them with old dead shells.
I mean seriously... he has admin access and can see your address. What more proof do you need? :joke:

:lol2: I think we have a winner!!!! I *knew* there was something fishy about him........

cr500_af;531175 wrote: On a serious note, I've noticed a little of the same thing. I drip acclimate snails, just like I'm supposed to. For every five I put in the tank, one or two are dead within 12 hours.
I'm wondering; are snails very sensitive to water temp shocks? I have a theory that during the dripping process, the water in the dripping vessel is getting cooler the whole time... the water dripping in is the right temp, but the container is bleeding warmth off and getting closer to ambient temp.
I've decided that as an experiment, I'm going to reseal the bags and float them for 15 minutes after the dripping is over. If my losses stop, I guess I'll know I'm onto something.

I Like that. If some snails *are* sensitive to temperature range, it would make sense that they may also be sensitive to temperature fluctuation. Let me know if you confirm this!

Assault;531187 wrote: I've always dripped my snails for almost twice the duration of fish and coral, and I drip fish and coral for 2 and a half 5 gallon buckets. only time a saw a snail die, was when a blue hermit crab tackled it and ate it, and I threw that guy in the sump

Again, maybe snails are more sensitive than I thought.

 

[jead85]

you wanna talk abou stink, i had a rio2100 in a bucket during my move. a turbo decdied it would stick to the inlet (my bad). When i went to move the snail it sucked it inside and blended it to a million tiny peices. That smell was HORRIBLE!