Red Kelp and Nassarius snails

[houstonhobby]

I love red kelp. It really took off when I got my new Photon 32's and I was so proud of it.

Then I got a build it yourself reef cleaner package from live aquaria. I included 10 nassarius snails. These are sort of "apple snail" style snails, great glass cleaners, and the ones I got were really big. Probably an inch and a half at their longest point (and sort of apple shaped, so that is a big heavy snail).

I love them.

But, they eat red kelp. Now my little red kelp patch looks pretty sorry. Whenever I see one of these guys actually in the patch I banish him to the sump (where he is absolutely delighted by the chaeto, green bubble caulerpa, and assorted cyano).

But I think some of them are raiding my kelp at night and getting away before morning. I might have to take all of them out and clean the glass myself.

:sad2:

 

[tektite]

I don't think you have nassarius snails, they don't go after algae and they don't clean the glass. They live in the sand until they sense food, like excess fish food or something that's died, then emerge to eat it. Sounds more like you have turbo snails, which love many kinds of red algae.

 

[houstonhobby]

I don't claim to be any sort of snail ID expert. They were sold to me under that name. But they don't have the same shape as turbo snails and don't have any trouble righting themselves if dropped on their back. I don't think they are turbos unless the turbo family has members I don't know about (which would not surprise me).

 

[tektite]

Can you post a pic?

 

[houstonhobby]

Go me to live aquaria, goth build your own cuc, look down the list to nassarius snails, 10 pack. Better picture than I am likely to take.

 

[houstonhobby]

http://youtu.be/xgpa_70CDdw

Short video of one of my nassarius snails, cleaning the glass in the sump, after being banished there for attacking my red kelp.

 

[tektite]

That is 100% not a nassarius, they must have sent the wrong snails to you.

 

[houstonhobby]

Might not be a nassarius. I really have no idea. But it does match the picture on their site so they sent what they said they would send even if they named it wrong. Anybody have an idea what the real name is? It is a great snail for cleaning algae and if I was not trying to grow red kelp I would think it was the greatest snail ever.

 

[alb_56]

turbo snails, I have ten identical snails in my tank.

 

[tektite]

It appears to be a type of turbo snail. Its not a nassarius. Nassarius live in the sand, only emerging to eat detritus like leftover fish food or dead creatures, they do not eat algae or clean the glass. Its hard to see the difference with the pic liveaquaria put up as it only shows the shell. A distinguishing feature of Nassarius is a long trunk that they use to sense food. Type nassarius snail into google images and you can see what they're supposed to look like.

 

[den75]

Definitely a turbo

 

[pufferpoison]

yep turbo 100%

 

[pagojoe]

I went to liveaquaria and looked, and the snails they show as Nassarius are the big ones in the N. arcularius complex. Maybe you got "Mexican turbos" instead, since that appears to be what yours are? Real Nassarius snails wouldn't eat your kelp (or any other algae, for that matter).

Cheers,



Don

 

[houstonhobby]

Well color me upset. I really like that red kelp. I'm going to set up a QT and grow it as the decoration in there, with no snails to mess it up.

Thanks for the ID.