Snails fed up?

[guruduck]

I have a new AP24 nano tank with agaronite sand and a piece of LR.
Ammonia=0, nitrite=0 nitrate=0 ph=8.2 temp=78 salnity=1.023.

I have Astera snails, margarita snails and bumble bee snails in it.

For the first two weeks, they were very active. Especial margarita. But now for two weeks, they are not moving. Some stay at the water line, some on the sand. Some fallen on sand and do not turn back.

Sand and LR are covered with hair algae. Glass has algae too. So, I believe they are not starving. But, are they fed up and get lazy? How often do they eat?

When they fall on sand, they cannot turn over. Will they die very soon? What other water param. I need to check?

please help.

thanks
Trex400

 

[graveyardworm]

How were the snails acclimated? How do you maintain your water level, are you using filtered RO/DI water? How many of each type snail are in there?

Astraea snails are notorious for falling over onto the sand, if you do not right them they will die. These guys arent known for eating hair algae so there is a chance they are starving. However since the tank is new there is likely to be enough desireable algae for them.

 

[joejoe1055]

they are on strike!
just kidding:eek1:

yes please right your snails they can die if not fixed
if u are worried about them starving u could drop a piece of some dried seaweed in there (like seaweed selects) or pin it under the rock mine eat what is left over after everyone else it done

 

[guruduck]

They were acclaimated in for more than 45 mins.

I got 5 margarite and 4 astrea and 1 bumble bee.

I also thought they are starving rather than stuffed. I have put a piece of seaweed on the sand bed and put the snails on it. Hope they will eat.

So, which snail is for hair algae? and which one for the algae on sand?

thanks

 

[guruduck]

graveyardworm, they have been in the tank for almost 4 weeks. They started not working for 2 weeks. Did it still matter how they were acclaimated?

I use RO water and Instant Ocean salt. I added purple up but so far no coraline growth.

thanks

Trex400

 

[graveyardworm]

They were acclaimated in for more than 45 mins.

This was probably long enough, unless there was a large difference between the water they came from and what you put them into. Did you check the two waters to make sure they were the same before you added the snails? Do you know how close they were to each other before you started the acclimation?

I got 5 margarite and 4 astrea and 1 bumble bee.

It doesnt seem that you are overstocked, unless there are already more in the tank.

I have put a piece of seaweed on the sand bed and put the snails on it. Hope they will eat.

There is no guarantee that they will eat the prepared food, as a matter of fact it is unlikely.

So, which snail is for hair algae? and which one for the algae on sand?

I dont belive any of these are reported to eat hair algae. The Astraea, and margarita dine on algae films, and possibly turf algae, the bumble bee eats sand bed infauna. The margarita are likely to be a temperate intertidal species which dont typically do well at reef temps, they can take short periods of high temp, but extended periods at warm temps is detrimental and will shorten their natural lifespan.

I added purple up but so far no coraline growth.

While the purple up is likely to be prviding stuff which may be beneficial for coraline growth it is not necessary, with stable water parameters at the appropriate levels the coraline will thrive. It just takes some time to become established.

As far as the snails I would be concerned that the acclimation time wasnt sufficient and/or the tank is new and not quite ready for livestock yet. I would suggest doing some water changes to ensure the water is as stable as possible through the cycle period, and hopefully preserve some of the lives of the snails.