Aquarium housekeepers: What are your thoughts on snails in your reef tank?

[Midrats]

My thoughts are...are there people without snails in their reef tank?

My thoughts are...are there people without snails in their reef tank?

Roberto Denadai doesn't.

 

[ARCkeeper]

I don't know where they came from because I started my tank with dry rock, but I have about a dozen stomatellas in my tank. I love volunteers!

 

[Marinexx]

I have had snails long term and they bred in sump.

Anecdotally when I switch to Kalk the longevity of the snails decrease. It may be lower nutrients or may be pH sensitivity. It is just something I live with as SPS are doing fantastic in current phase as I carefully maintain system and make few changes.

I’ve made the same observation: once going to kalkwasser to maintain higher pH, my snail population progressively declined. However, I also have tighter pH control with subtle .01-.03 changes ( 8.27 -8.33) in the course of the day.
Despite significant improvements to temperature control over the past 9 months, my tank temp swung 1-2 degrees overnight (45-85 in a day outdoor temperatures). I was unable to rule -out less than ideal temperature control
Seasonal changes (Fall, Winter, Spring) remain a challenge.
LPS and fish are doing great. SPS efforts getting a third Kessil A360 TB., replacement back up temp controller and examining ( awaiting) ICP-OES and micro-biome results.

 

[monica HHF]

I love seeing snail eggs. Sign of a healthy tank. I figure if they mass exit the tank, something is wrong. Even the turbos don’t damage a rock structure like a pencil urchin can.
I also do not quarantine my snails but I haven’t bought one for at least 5 years.

 

[AJsReef]

I absolutely love snails. I have an army of Astrea and dwarf cerith snails that decimate algae. Even if the occasional cerith kamikazes my Vortechs

 

[EugeneVan]

I have very good luck with snails and still surprised my harlequin tusk hasnt eaten any

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Same here. My tusk never paid attention to any of my snails.

 

[oldschoolnewventure]

Aquarium housekeepers: What are your thoughts on snails in your reef tank?

Sometimes they are hitchhikers and sometimes that are desirable clean-up crew that you added. When not occasionally creating havoc, they can be very effective aquarium housekeepers. What are your thoughts on snails in your reef tank? Do you have any horror stories to share? How about a particularly interesting snail that has lived in your tank? Are you partial to any specific species or types of snails? Do you follow the recommended types and numbers of snails when ordering or replenishing your cleanup crew? Please share any tips or recommendations in the discussion thread.

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Photo by @WWC

If you want to find out more information on snails, please check out this R2R article on the best in shell snails for the reef aquarium.

You have to have them especially if you have a deep sand bed

 

[TinnysReef]

I love all inverts and love watching snails. But ... I love conches more

 

[Kial]

I've always had a mixture of hermits and snails in my tanks, but never really seen them make any difference

Sand still gets dirty, whatever they do clean on the rocks,glass etc is just tiny little patches. From my experience anyway.

Has anyone run a tank without them and seen any noticeable difference? C

 

[JoJosReef]

Love a variety of snails in my tanks: FL ceriths, cortez ceriths, E. African ceriths, nerites, ox tongue nerites, virgin nerites (lots, pretty!), ninja star nerite, Dwarf ceriths (a horde of them!), Periwinkles, astraeas, dwarf trochus, trochus, bear conch, money cowrie, limpets, and of course, mexican turbo snails!

 

[Treefer32]

My thoughts are...are there people without snails in their reef tank?

Yes, I have a 340 gallon display with only Nassarius snails becuase it was the only snail that my Dragon wrasse didn't hunt to extinction. I have since rehomed the dragon wrasse and can have snails again. Just starting to have snails in a 4 year old tank. Although I've only added 2-3 nassarious and have probably close to a dozen now, so they must be doing well. I now see one or two climb the glass at night and then climb back down by morning.

I thought nassarius only ate meat, but they must find enough to eat to propogate.

 

[Freenow54]

I added some large snails don't know what kind. So far am a fan. I also have tiny ones that don't do much because of their size so not positive or negative feelings

 

[UtahReefer]

In my experience Trochus snail have been the best. They do most work at night, don't knock over frags, and if the fall over they can right themselves. I carbon dose so a CUC is somewhat necessary but not a variety of little buggers. My tank (45g cube) stays clean with 8 Trochus Snails.