Worried

[pheasant29]

I am worried about my snails.I have about 12 algae eating snails. Three that are huge.I have very little algae left for them to eat. What should i feed them? They are steady grazing all over the tank. I just don't want them to starve.

 

[dcantucson]

Algae tablets and pieces of algae sheets could help.

 

[Bifferwine]

Take them back to the store.

 

[wontonflip]

+1 Dcan and Biffers -- My snails love to jump on the foxface's algae sheets, even though they're high up on the tank...they make the trip! But they do take a while to consume them, and you shouldn't leave them for more than 24 hours, so Biff's suggestion is also good.

 

[pheasant29]

We like the little guys. I guess i could bring some of them back tho.How many can you guys sustain in your reef systems that have very little algae?

 

[Bifferwine]

Each tank is different. In my 90 gallon tank, I have maybe 4 snails. I don't have hardly any algae. In some tanks, you need 1 snail per gallon. So it's hard to give you a number for your tank.

 

[pheasant29]

That actually does help. It gives me an idea. I will just watch them and give them away as needed. Thanks.

 

[yote]

You want just enough to keep the algae under control.But you can use either of the above mentioned methods.Feeding or trading either one will be fine.

 

[reeffreak]

Peasant,

Here is how I would do it..Bring all snails that feed on macro-algae(Mexican turbos,margaritas).I have no macro algae but I do have microalgae.The dusty green stuff I swipe from the glass every three days.I keep snails for diatoms because they never completely go away unless you run a UV maybe.So I keep ceriths,astreas,nerites and trochus snails to take care of the diatoms.

 

[PRC]

Just buy 100 snails...when they stop dying that's how many you're supposed to have in the tank. Just kidding.

 

[pheasant29]

Thanks guys. I will try feeding first.Of course i wouldn't mind getting rid of the big bulldozer turbos. They are neat to watch, but man do they push things around.

 

[Solarfall]

Just don't ever get those monster zebra turbos if you ever plan on keeping SPS.

Those damn things must've cost me well over $100 in knocked over frags.

 

[pheasant29]

All right guys. Just to let you know. I put an green algae sheet in the tank AND EVERYTHING WENT CRAZY. Crabs and snails alike were all over it.they seem to love it. Thanks for the help.