Tough time with snails

[scoobyalty]

I have been having a tough time keeping my snails alive. I am having no problems with anything else in my tank staying alive...fish, crabs, etc. just the snails. I had a fighting conch make it for a little over a week then a few turbos that made it a few days (2-3). I do not have any other snails in the tank because the hermits would just kill them for their shells. Ultimately I would like to phase out the hermits and fill my tank with snails, but I do not want to do this until I can figure out why the snails keep dieing so quickly.

My levels are as follows:
SG 1.025
Temp 76-78
ph 8.2
Ca 440-460
Mg 1350
dKH Cusp between 9-10
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphates 0.01

 

[sostoudt]

i would say hermits or crabs possibly killing them. are the shells empty or is there still a dead snail in them if there empty they being eaten

 

[Eklikewhoa]

I second the crabs......


Also how are you acclimating them to your tank?

 

[scoobyalty]

Snails are still in the shells and then the crabs are attacking them. They have been dieing then the crabs go after the shells. They are all Turbos also

 

[Guygettnby]

again how are you acclimating them? how new is this tank? do you have enough algea for them to feed off of? i had a problem keeping snails when my tank was still pretty new. i had to put some algea sheets in the tank for them to munch on so they didnt die off.

 

[rickh]

I cant' keep snails either. I have no crabs fighting for their shells, but the snails last a month or 2 then die. R

 

[Guygettnby]

check your water parameters as well. snails do not like high nitrates and die off pretty quickly. try also adding some macro algea into you tank.

 

[amutti]

high nitrates

Above 15ppm maybe, but below 10 most should be fine. I would try an keep my nitrates lower than 10, but new tanks can tanks can take a few months to get there.

In my experience snails die in the first few days due to acclimation issues, the first couple of weeks due to predators, and the first few months due to a lack of food. Mexican turbos and Floridan turbos are pretty hardy, but do need a slow drip for best results. Cerith need a slow acclimation as well. Nerite are hit or miss in my opinion.