Turbo Snail Death Causes?

[JEFFR259]

Just wanted to see what people have had cause Turbo Snail deaths in their tanks.

Over the last week or so, I've noticed Turbos laying upside down in the sand and even on the LR. At first, I thought I had snails just falling off the glass, requiring help from me when stranded in the middle of the sandbed. But over the last couple days, I've noticed the snails upside down on rock too, where they normally can recover and turn over.

Water Params:
PH- 7.8 to 8.0
Am/Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - less than 5ppm
Calcium - 450
Alkalinity - 9 dKH
Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 78
Mag - havent tested lately, usually around 1250

All LPS and SPS in the tank are fine and growing, otherwise I'd think something along the lines of water condition. In the past, Ive fought Dinoflagellates (poisonous to inverts), but have that 90% under control. Even when the Dinos were at its worst (not even that bad), Turbo death was minimal to none.

Tank inhabitants (other than coral) are

Blue Legged Hermies (don't appear to be causing)
Magnificent Foxface
Percula Clownfish
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Melanarus Wrasse


Ideas??

THANKS!

 

[JEFFR259]

Oh yea---

There is algae in the tank for them to consume...they are not starving

 

[JEFFR259]

Thought of more potentially useful info on the tank:

I dose:
*Iodine
*2 Part
*Strontium (once a month, dose VERY light-a low amount of a weeks recommended dosage)

 

[Elysia]

I had two Turbo snails in my 56 gallon. For months they did great, then all of the sudden I found one on the substrate upside down. I picked it up and it soon when on its way, however, this began to happen more and more over the course of a month or so and the snails recovery time began to lengthen after each episode. That snail did eventually die. I assume that it was gradually becoming weaker and weaker, although I do not know what started the snail down the slippery slope: weakness that caused it to take a header or the time on its back that resulted in weakness that it couldn't recover from. Other than my tank temps (which are a bit lower than yours) and my nitrates (a bit higher, at 10 ppm), my water params were very similar to your own and I also believe that the tank had various food available for the snails. Sorry I can't be of any help, but I'll be curious to hear the answer. (Oh, and I did gradually acclimate the snails, adding water from the display to their floating speciem cup for about an hour and a half.)

 

[Bulldogger2008]

Take it for whats its worth but your PH seems to be a bit low. I have 6 turbo snails in my 125 and they eat a lot. My tank has been running for nearly a month and a half now. The Diatom Algae is almost gone. They cleaned the whole back glass in a matter of days. Not sure if you have algae in the tank, they do need some to eat. I would put some PH buffer in the tank, get that PH up to 8.3. Do you have any Horse Shoe Crabs in your tank?

 

[JEFFR259]

I know the PH is low, but it's always been there and I've never experienced a die off like this with regards to Turbos. I bought some Kalk mix, but never used it because I only bought it on the premise to boost ph, I maintain calcium with B-Ionic 2 part. And I didn't want to meddle with the tank balance because, even though the PH is a bit low, everything (LPS and SPS) appear to be doing great and thriving/growing.

I do not have any horse shoe crabs in the tank.

 

[MicahD]

Turbo Snails

Turbo Snails

I had the same issue. Turbo snails only last about 3-4 months, and as far as I know that has not changed. I read somewhere that they come from colder waters ~70-72 F. Aquariums are too warm for them and so they do not live long. Funny thing is that I can get no LFS to comment on that, I guess cuz they like to sell them. I have some other varieties of snails that do great, cerith is one of them. Check out www.reefcleaners.org. They are really great and I have stocked my tank with their products.