Do snails eat coraline algae

[ADAMMP]

I was wondering if snails (turbo especially ) eat coraline algae. I recently put one in my qt tank and some looks like it was sand blasted. Some looks nice and red some looks pink. Anyone else ever have this happen? Thanks for any info.

 

[tkeracer619]

Not that I am aware of.

 

[ADAMMP]

This is what the rock looks like after the turbo went across it. See the light red and dark red.

 

[tkeracer619]

the red isn't coralline.

 

[anthonys51]

i believe the red slime is cryno

 

[ADAMMP]

It doesn't feel slimy. Feels kind of rough.

 

[Sk8r]

The stuff can be a sort of precursor to coralline IME, but it's a pest: NO snail, no crab, no urchin, and probably not a snowplow can make any big dent in coralline once it gets going. Forget any threat taking it out.

 

[ADAMMP]

Ok thanks. I'll just let them mow it down then.

 

[ADAMMP]

Ok thanks. I'll just let them mow it down then. Not like I can stop them

 

[jlmawp]

No snail I've ever seen can do anything with coralline. The only critters that can, from my experience, are Asterina starfish and urchins.

The tuxedo urchin I used to have chewed through everything down to bare, white rock, regardless of coralline type.

The Asterina stars will extrude their guts over top of coralline, stripping it of the "meat" and color, but it leaves behind the white calcium deposits of the algae. Before I do a quarterly removal of the little jerks, my rock is peppered with white spots. It actually seems to hinder coralline growth.

 

[Tripod1404]

My astrea snails can eat coralline algae on glass, especially if i go over the coralline with a algae scraper. Scraper cannot remove the coralline, but it makes it easier for snails to eat it. If I do not scrape, they generally can only eat small amounts of it. They cannot eat it of the rocks.

 

[Timfish]

the stuff can be a sort of precursor to coralline ime, but it's a pest: No snail, no crab, no urchin, and probably not a snowplow can make any big dent in coralline once it gets going. Forget any threat taking it out.

+1

 

[ADAMMP]

Thanks for the info.