Is it likely that Nassarius snails can starve?

[DenverDave]

I have about 8 of them in my nano and am trying to change my husbandry practices b/c of successive algae blooms.

I'm feeding daily, just enough for the 2 fish I have to eat (not gorge themselves), plus maybe an iota more.

This has been going on for 2 weeks, and last night the Nassarius Snails (a few of them) just seemed to be crawling around on the surface a lot more time than normal after feeding and into simulated dusk with my actinics.

2 look like the don't feel so good ( kinda just staying on top 24/7 and no moving much), and one committed suicide about a week ago- I found him on the floor.

Maybe the one of the floor was a coincidence, but I do see a slight shift in behavior. Can they starve?

I'm drying to keep my DSB sifted, and these snails do an excellent job.
What's next if they do end up dying? I'm not going to feed more- I'm sick of algae, and my fish don't need it.

Thanks
Dave

 

[SKremk]

Yes, they can definitely starve if there's no food. How big is the tank? Eight seems like a lot for a small tank.

 

[DenverDave]

It's the Solana 34 gallon.

I struggle with the balance of how much to "overfeed" to also feed my cleanup crew.

 

[Overgreen]

I have one that came free with my sand. I know mind will hide when hes full because he was for several weeks the only thing in my tank. So when he comes out looking around I know hes hungry. Its funny because when hes hungry out he pops. I fed mine a small peice of shrimp. I just pushed it into the sand a tad to keep it there and he jumped on it. Once he eats, he goes and hides and wont come out til hes hungry again.

 

[psykokid]

i feed mine a little piece of sliverside when i feed my anemone. I put it on the end of a stick for the snail and wave it around his little snorkel
and out he will pop

 

[Overgreen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15407289#post15407289 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psykokid
i feed mine a little piece of sliverside when i feed my anemone. I put it on the end of a stick for the snail and wave it around his little snorkel
and out he will pop

lol They are pretty interesting in the way they hide.

 

[darkdruid]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15402266#post15402266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SKremk
Yes, they can definitely starve if there's no food. How big is the tank? Eight seems like a lot for a small tank.

I have 75 in a 46 gallon. It's easy for me to tell when they are hungry, most of them will be out roaming around instead of buried in the sand. I toss several shrimp pellets in and they go nuts then bury themselves.