only Turbo shells left

[jimitoCR]

Im having a problem with my Turbo population. In the last 4 nights I have lost 5 Turbos. Only the shells remain.I have a banded shrimp,2 cleaner shrimp, various red legged and blue legged hermits. Pair of clarkiis,yellow tank,flame angel,lawn mower blenny, who could be the culprit.

 

[chujai]

when i first started my tank, i bought some red legged hermits thinking they were scarlet hermits.... i noticed they loved to hunt for new shells.. after the first week all the red legs got a new home.

 

[jimitoCR]

but none of the red legs have a new shell, they are left empty.

 

[dzeadow]

how old's the tank? I just had a turbo die because I transfered my inhabitants to a new tank and didn't realize there wasn't much algae in the tank so it probably starved.. I've been putting nori in to suppliment until the system gets going again w/ algae. could be predation tho.

 

[Longchamp]

Large groups of deaths indicate something other than starvation, i think.

Check all your parameters including copper. Maybe the CBS or hermits are preying on them. Seems unlikely though.

 

[jimitoCR]

These are newly introduced only 4 days ago. All parameters are ok but I dont have a copper test. Ive never had to use copper. There is plenty of algae on the glass for them to eat. I had a problem before cause the LFS sold me preditor snails collected on the Pacific coast but I put all of them in the refugium.

 

[useskaforevil]

when my nano over heated it took the turbos a few days to die, any chance the shop you got them from couldv'e cooked them

 

[Eklikewhoa]

The hermits ate them.

 

[bryman]

If you haven't already, you might want to check all your water parameters. I had snails dying too, and when I checked my PH and dKH were way too high. I am doing large water changes now to bring things back to normal, and the snails are starting to move around more.

 

[JKDMan]

hermits are probably the killers

 

[Kevomac]

Not likely, but could be another predator. How old is the tank? Any new rock that could have brought hitchikers? Also, how did you acclimate them. They are very sensitive to changes in water chemistry. I've heard they are especially sensitive to sudden changes in salinity.

 

[shred5]

Sounds like the possibility you might have a mantis shrimp in your tank...

Dave

 

[dcombs44]

could be a number of things. Hermits, copper, cone snails, etc. I've lost many of my snails to predatory cone snails preying on them. Look around the foot of the snails that are still alive. You may see tiny cone shaped snails on them.

Could also be a mantis as mentioned.

 

[jimitoCR]

I had and disposed of 18 gorilla crabs 2 snapping shrimp and a mantis the 1st few months. All hitchhickers from the live rock I started with. The tank is 11 months old. The parameters are fine. The only problem I have is Turbo bodys vanishing. The shells are empty, now at least 7.
No NO2 no NH3, a little phosphate and Ca 400

 

[jimitoCR]

dcombs44 there is a cone snail in the tank about 1/2 inch long collected on the Carribean side of Costa Rica, but it is always cleaning algae on the glass.

 

[dcombs44]

Probably not the correct species.

These guys are only a couple millimeters long. I've seen 10 or so on the underside of a atrea snail.

 

[TellyFish]

Predator. Watch your tank closely... esp. at night.

Many possibilities, for me it was a foot-long eunice worm. Took out 25+ snails, 3 shrimp, etc... over 1 year.

thanks,
-j

 

[jimitoCR]

TellyFish this is exactly what Im going to do. You can always find out more at night. Thanks all

 

[pf1130]

After reading this thread I took a good luck at my snails ( I too have had trouble keeping atlantic and mexican snails alive) and I do indeed see very small white snail like things on one of my snails shells. Does anyone have a picture of what these things look like? And how do I get rid of them? I only have 3 atlantic turbo snails left. :-(

 

[mbbuna]

geared more towards clams but the removal is the same

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php