The substrate in my tank is strewn about with macabre reminders of past lives. The coralline covered Mexican Turbo, Astrea, Margarita and vacant hermit shells are reminiscant of Arlington National. My fish are doing well, my corals are all currently thriving, all the various inverts are happy, and the green hair is getting ever more manageable. I'm now to the point that I really want to beef up my cleanup crew, but do not want a repeat of the past plague. Cerith snails are the only variety that really have any longevity in my tank. My water parameters look good on my tests and the tests at both MSM and Aquatic Dreams. What can I possibly do to keep my new snails alive and eating. Has anyone else had this experience in the past? Please advise before I end up killing more critters. Thanks for your help!

Jamison

In my mind fluctuating pH and alkalinity are killers to snails.  Quite odd timing for you to ask this, I just finished an article on this very question.

Adam

I had a similar problem...lots of snail/crab death.  Monitor your pH fluctuations when adding buffer and kalk.  Earlier in the day I replied to Marks P's post entitled "Help" which talks about adding buffer first then kalk.  I just bought a top off set up but haven't installed it...it won't maintain pH, Ca and Alkalinity though and I will still have to add/adjust those on my own. 

I usually add the buffer a couple of hours before I add my kalk.  Start adding kalk after the lights turn off, which is when the aquarium ph starts to drop.  By adding kalk drip-wise at the appropriate concentration, I am able to maintain a constant pH through the night with the resulting pH increase occuring during the following daytime hours.

Since employing these procedures, I haven't lost many snails, fish or corals.  In fact I have just noticed that I have had some snails reproducing in my tank.  Actually, I haven't 'seen' them reproducing, just the resulting snail babies which are about 1/2 the size of a pea.

John

John

yaaaay!!        Do we have an icon with his little fingers crossed?  

Adam,

Could you link me up with some of your articles?  Where can you find them? 

John

Articles on what?  I've written many so let me know what you are looking for.  I'm assuming since it is in this post that you are asking about an article on invertebrates and how they can tell you about the health of your tank.

I have an article on that, but it won't be published for about 6 more weeks.  I'll let you know when it comes out.

Adam

Adam,

Actually, I just like to read, which is what probably got me into trouble with my tanks.  I'm setting up a low light tank.  It wil have a couple of perculas (the only fish), non-photosynthetic gorgonia (diodogorgia), xenia, slipper coral and some other polyps and zoos that were being eaten.  With the xenia I may have to add extra light for the 'pulsing'.  Any articles on these guys would be great.  Otherwise, I'll have to just catch them as they come out.

John

I don't think I personally have any articles in that area.  None that come to mind.  I'll have to search around for some articles by others in that area.

Adam
ps- I don't think of xenia as a low light coral, and feeding is certainly the key to the proposed tank

Adam,

Interesting.  I didn't know that xenia needed to be fed...or is just because of a new setup?  Cyclopods?  Just bought some and the Sun polyps practically came out of their tubes for more.

This setup will hopefully have mysis and copepods like my larger tank, though I do plan on keeping a few 'nemos' for the kiddies. 

John

I don't think xenia needs to be fed.  That is one reason I don't consider it a low light coral.  Well I take that back, it does need to be fed..... lots of light.

Adam