Snails

[thomasj]

I recently placed about 75 sm turbo snails (astrae) in my 55g tank to clean up my abundace of brown algae. Over the past week about 15 of them have died. I introduced them into the tank slowly as directed. I have tested almost everything I can think of in my tank and all is fine. Is this a normal attrition rate for snails? Should I be concerned? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

[Tim Marvin]

That is a lot of snails, but the die off isn't too bad. Depending on what you have in the tank, I would expect 10% to die for unknown reasons, and more will fall victim to hermits and other critters.

[GaryP]

Do you think some of the algae you have could be dinoflagellates? Dino is toxic to snails. Also, what sort of substrate do you have? Astrea and Turbos have a hard time flipping over on sugar fine sand. If they can't flip themselves over they end up dying and getting eaten by hermits or something else.

Gary

[thomasj]

I have a larger substrate. How can I tell for sure if it is dinoflagellates? And if it is, what would I do to get rid of it?

[::pete::]

Images (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=457008&highlight=dinofl agellates)

Info (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=441093&highlight=dinofl agellates)

[GaryP]

Pete!

I really do need to get a copy of your bookmarks for the library project. You always have such good stuff. Outstanding!

Hmmm.... Pods eating dinos. If I could just get my wrasses to skip the pods and go directly to eating dino I would be very happy. I got a fresh "inoculation" of pods from Donny and Steve's fuges this weekend. I have found myself laying on the floor trying to count them. I wish the little critters would get busy making more little critters.

gary

[::pete::]

Thanks .. better bring a chair and your favorite beverage :-D there are lots of them.


I wish the little critters would get busy making more little critters.

Mo' Pods !! (http://www.inverts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=inverts&Product _Code=Seapods)

[GaryP]

Can you burn your bookmark folder onto a CD or floppy?

Gary

[mathias]

you should be able to...just find where its saved.

[GaryP]

Pete,

I've seen the bottled pods that you linked. They always seem to be out of stock. Besides, Iwonder how "live" they are going to be when stored and shipped in a bottle. They might be OK to use as a food, but I wonder about using them for stocking purposes.

Gary

[::pete::]

Besides, Iwonder how "live" they are going to be when stored and shipped in a bottle.

Very much ... (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=402058)

[Richard]

I've been talking to the seapod guy. He had a problem that wiped out much of his cultures so he has been out of stock. Someone mixed rotifers in with the pod tanks or something like that (I don't know squat about culturing this stuff). He also has expanded his facility to try and keep up with demand. I was told that there are 3-4 species of pods with more to be added. Sounded like he was getting them started from species he finds in his fuge on his own tank. So they should be good for seeding a tank as well as food. Hopefully I'll have them in stock in the next week or so, I will know more then.

Also he said that the shelf life is currently up to 6 months and counting for a bottle of pods. I don't know how he is pulling that off, but it's cool if it's true.

[GaryP]

Maybe pods hibernate.

Gary