Fighting conch staying buried

[uscgbeachbum]

So I picked up about a 3" fighting conch a week ago. As soon as I put it in the tank he started devouring leftover food on the sand. However, he'd get stuck between one rock and my tank. He stayed stuck overnight and after I removed him he buried himself in the sand. I then didn't see him for nearly a week. I was worried that he somehow got out of the tank or had died, so I started poking around my sand bed last night and found him in the same spot he buried himself in a week ago. He was still alive and looked at me like :mad2: WTH MAN!!! So he promptly buried himself again. What's the deal? Is this normal?

 

[rssjsb]

It is normal. They are more or less active depending on, well, something. I've had them disappear for weeks before and never really could tell what it was about. They always emerged eventually, though.

I would just let them be. They're probably just getting used to your tank.

 

[Tzwizzle]

I've had one disappear for over a month only to randomly show up. My opinion is their level of activity is based on the amount of nutrients in the tank. High nutrients mean not much movement. Just chill and munch. I've got one in my low nutrient tank now and he cruises all day long.

 

[degibson84]

I have two tiger conchs and they are constantly out and about

 

[lostintheocean]

i have had several queen and fighting conchs, they are generally buried, i did not see a queen for several months once and figures it was gone but then it popped up.

 

[m0nkie]

my tiger conchs are eating 80% of the time above sand.

 

[Golden Age]

My fighting conch is always in the open. It's tongue and eyes doing what they do. It tends to stay in one part of the tank, but never hidden.

When I turn out the lights and come out to check on things with a flashlight I see my tiny bumblebee shrimp harassing it -- the conch gets mad and does a quick move and the bumblebee shrimp runs off. It's pretty funny.