WTB: Nassarius snails, opinions wanted

[Ding2daDong]

Well for the last month or so my sand bed has built up alot of algea and misc. other things and doesnt look as pearly white as when I bought it. I was thinking of buying a few nassarius snails to keep it a little clean, but I have gone to many LFS and no one yet has carriered them. I was just wondering if anyone has seen them at a LFS, also your opinion would be great on if I should get a few nassarius snails or a sand sifting sea star or both or none? Thanks

-Matt

 

[bckane]

I been looking to....tagging along
Brian

 

[ek9vboi]

My sand bed isn't all that clean when it was 1st started. Mainly because of I guess stuff falling off the rocks while handling it (dark tiny pieces of sand or rock itself). After taking some xenia frags to the LFS today, yeah its nasty but i accept it.

As for algae build up, I would say that is a flow issue. try to have more flow bouncing off the glass and onto the sand bed without stirring it up, if it does it will settle. Look into hermits as well as other sand dwelling animals. My hermits stir my sand up very well, at night when I look at them with a flash light I can see trails of the hermits crawling on the sand bed. I do have 2 Nassarius snails or what they look to be from the keys, but they are rarely on the sand bed. maybe a queen conch (sp). as for sea stars they look cool, but some are creepy looking.

 

[bckane]

My Nassarius snails are always under the sandbed..till you put food in the tank and then there out and about

Nassarius Snails like to bury themselves in the sand, which will help maintain adequate oxygen levels in the substrate

 

[ezdive]

Hey Matt,
I would use all of those options if I were you. I have sand stars, Nassarius, turbo, mexican turbo, blue and red legged hermits. Still my sand bed is not pearly white, that doesn't necessarily mean it is not healthy. You should be seeing some color under the 1/2 inch or so. Provided your bed is at least 2 inches deep. All of that is good. The bacteria and critters in your sandbed are flourishing and doing their job to export detrius and nutrients. If you have a film of algea developing, then you have yourself a nutrient buildup. This is when water changes and other methods help you get out the nuisnce algae buildup.

 

[bawla47]

they have them at a exotic aquatic, but there a bit pricey, 3.50 ea i think.

but there huge, almost an inch big.

and damn they have good smell, ill drop a silverside in the tank for my eel feeding, and within 10-15 seconds, i see them all pop out of the sand in dif places and speed over to the silverside. There FAST too!

 

[truth954]

also try sea cucumbers, they shift the sand pretty good.

 

[jman77]

I have plenty...... how many you looking for ?

 

[NanoKat]

They are awesome snails...I was given some by someone who is going "bare bottom"...that always sounds funny! Anyway, I have 2 or 3 smaller (1/2") and one big (1") and they are great to watch when you feed the tank. They do a great job on the sand. I also will get a sand sifting star soon, they are also great to watch cruising the sand bed in the evening. My hermits don't do much on the sand, maybe the big white claw I have, but the others stick more to the rocks (blue legged).

 

[Ludwigia73]

Mine would always run around submarine style under the sand... with their "periscope" sticking up. Drop some food in, and within seconds they rise up like they're on an elevator, cruise around, and fight over food. Really cool critters. As soon as I get my sand bed back, I'll be doing them again.

 

[reef_doug]

I have 15 Nassarius and a large Diamond Watchman Goby.

The Nassarius are cool looking, but don't even compare to what the sand sifting goby does.

Have you considered one? What other livestock do you have?

I've also heard fighting conch are good, however I have never had one.

Best
Doug

 

[Ding2daDong]

I was looking for maybe 3-4 snails. I kinda got talked into buy a small 3inch sand sifting star at fishes of eden and it seems to be doing a good job. I have a few frags on the sand and I just hope it doesnt mess with them. Any thought on a sand sifting star in my 18gallon with about 1 1/2 inches of sand? Kinda thinking of trading the star for some snails because I dont want it to starve over time. Thanks for everyones thoughts and opinoins.

-Matt

 

[bckane]

Matt like me know if you come across some nasarius....Im looking 15
Brian

 

[bckane]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8382405#post8382405 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jman77
I have plenty...... how many you looking for ?

Dont know if I should buy from you with the way that dog is looking at me...........

 

[Rogger Castells]

Nassarius snails are very cool, but they are not algae eaters, they are more like scavengers and opportunistic feeders, for the issue you describe you are better of with a sand sifting goby and/or a sea cucumber.

 

[chrisaggie]

I have run a DSB for many years now. I find Nassarius vibex to be very good at keeping the sand bed clean and healthy. Like Rogger said, they will not eat algae, but they will eat detritus and food that sinks to the bottom though. I think the #1 animal to keep a sandbed clean is a cucumber though. I have about 6 in my 180.

 

[CiroFuentes22]

im haveing a simlar problem wit my sand being so dirty. its crushed coral and it is all brown. i dont know wut to do it. its a 15g and 12g i really need to get it clean. is Nassarius good for this?

 

[chrisaggie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8398763#post8398763 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CiroFuentes22
im haveing a simlar problem wit my sand being so dirty. its crushed coral and it is all brown. i dont know wut to do it. its a 15g and 12g i really need to get it clean. is Nassarius good for this?

No, the nassarius will not like crushed coral.

 

[Pico Keeper]

I have micro serpents, spaghetti works, nassarius (vibex & obsoletus) in my sand bed. Plus a pearly jaw who doesnt do much, but my sand bed is WHITE. The number one question I get is, how is your sand so white. I really dont think these guys do that much, but my sand IS clean.. who knows.

 

[ek9vboi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8398763#post8398763 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CiroFuentes22
im haveing a simlar problem wit my sand being so dirty. its crushed coral and it is all brown. i dont know wut to do it. its a 15g and 12g i really need to get it clean. is Nassarius good for this?

1) Crush coral in not the all around choice for a sand bed, some people are still going with it but most use sand now. Reason being is because with crush coral it tends to trap detritus and so on which is not good. There are more reasons why but I cant think of all of them.

2) If you read the above statements from other members the are "they will not eat algae, but they will eat detritus and food that sinks to the bottom though"

I have no idea what what you mean by "sand being so dirty," that can mean a lot of things such as alage, detritus build up, etc.