Is my conch ok?

[Common Blevil]

I have a strawberry conch (conomurex luhuanus) for about 3 months now.
At first, when i introduced it in the new tank it was slowly hopping it's way around the tank all day, eating algae. Now it spends most of the time buried in the sandbed moving places maybe once a day or so. Occasionally i feed it hikari algae wafers. Is the snail ok? Does it eat detritus(which it has a lot) from the sand, that had accumulated over 3 months and has no need to go around the tank constantly to find bits of food, or is it starving? It lives in long 15 gallon with 1-2 inch sandbed. I think it is theoretically may be enough, but I'm not sure now, because of it's behaviour change after tank's maturation.

Ps: the sand has algae on it most of the time, because I'm trying to figure out what my macroalgae needs, video was done after the waterchange

 

[BZOFIQ]

They are just too funny with their eye stalks sticking out above the sand.

I have 4 in my 270 and I feel they are most active at night. In the morning they are all in the sand. As long as he is moving and looking for food I dont think you have anything to worry about yet.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Occasionally i feed it hikari algae wafers. Is the snail ok? Does it eat detritus(which it has a lot) from the sand, that had accumulated over 3 months and has no need to go around the tank constantly to find bits of food, or is it starving? It lives in long 15 gallon with 1-2 inch sandbed. I think it is theoretically may be enough, but I'm not sure now, because of it's behaviour change after tank's maturation.

If you're worried about it getting enough to eat, then I would make sure to target feed it regularly - something like NLS Marine Fish Pellets or the diet described below should work fine:

For diet (Tiger/Strawberry Conches - Conomurex luhanus, A.K.A. Strombus luhanus - have been cultured on similar diets; basically you want lots of algae and a moderate amount of meat):

The successful broodstock (breeding pair/group) diets of various conchs that I've heard of all use some kind of pellet/gelatin feed that was supplemented by/mixed with algae (specifically algae like Ulva, Halymenia, and Spirulina).

So, I'd get some good pellets (I'm not sure what is best for conchs - I know Mazuri Koi Chow was used successfully with four conch species, so that would be a safe option, but personally I'd give Otohime or TDO pellets a try) and some good macroalgae (preferably red and/or green - again, I'm not sure which algae would be best, but I know Ulva and Halymenia have been used successfully, and I know some conch species eat Laurencia and Batophora in the wild; Ulva would probably be one of the easiest to get a hold of and grow out so you don't have keep buying more) and some Spirulina powder and blend these into one feed you can offer the conch.

Basically take some pellets, macro, and Spirulina and turn them into one pellet/gelatin (or possibly even frozen, though I've never seen frozen used) feed to offer the conch (you may need to get creative in how you offer the food to the conch so your fish don't eat the food before your conch does, but you might be able to bury the food in the sand for it or offer the food to the conch inside an isolation box or something).

 

[formallydehyde]

Keep spot feeding it algae wafers if there's not a lot of algae to eat. But my strawberry conchs go through streaks where they mostly hang out in the sand followed by streaks where they want to be out and about more, and start climbing all over the rockwork and up the glass again.

Sometimes they hide in the sand if they get scared or irritated by stuff (mine tend to spend a day in the sand after a big water change) but other times it seems that it's just what they feel like doing for a while.

 

[Common Blevil]

Keep spot feeding it algae wafers if there's not a lot of algae to eat. But my strawberry conchs go through streaks where they mostly hang out in the sand followed by streaks where they want to be out and about more, and start climbing all over the rockwork and up the glass again.

Sometimes they hide in the sand if they get scared or irritated by stuff (mine tend to spend a day in the sand after a big water change) but other times it seems that it's just what they feel like doing for a while.

I spot feed it every couple of day, but my sandbed has a lot of detritus and algae, so i hope conch is not starving either way...

 

[TokenReefer]

Mine hadn't moved for months (that I noticed); at least 5. Just the other day I added some more snails and it decided to do a lap around half the tank then parked in the exact spot it was in... Weird creatures. It must be getting all it needs there; yours too is getting what it needs apparently

 

[vetteguy53081]

They are not always active especially once the sand is clean. Often , Ive wondered if my pair was still with me to find it was just fine the next day or two

 

[Dan_P]

I have a strawberry conch (conomurex luhuanus) for about 3 months now.
At first, when i introduced it in the new tank it was slowly hopping it's way around the tank all day, eating algae. Now it spends most of the time buried in the sandbed moving places maybe once a day or so. Occasionally i feed it hikari algae wafers. Is the snail ok? Does it eat detritus(which it has a lot) from the sand, that had accumulated over 3 months and has no need to go around the tank constantly to find bits of food, or is it starving? It lives in long 15 gallon with 1-2 inch sandbed. I think it is theoretically may be enough, but I'm not sure now, because of it's behaviour change after tank's maturation.

Ps: the sand has algae on it most of the time, because I'm trying to figure out what my macroalgae needs, video was done after the waterchange

If it is not moving, it cannot be feeding. Also, it might be slowly starving to death. It takes time to starve to death. I would take a lack of foraging as a bad sign.

 

[TokenReefer]

If it is not moving, it cannot be feeding. Also, it might be slowly starving to death. It takes time to starve to death. I would take a lack of foraging as a bad sign.

Idk. Seems pretty on par from what I read. Maybe you know better though

 

[Dan_P]

Idk. Seems pretty on par from what I read. Maybe you know better though

Interesting. Where did you read it?

I usually take social media information with a pinch of salt, especially for the care of exotic animals and throw-away animals like members of the clean up crew. No one sheds a tear for a dead slug

 

[TokenReefer]

Interesting. Where did you read it?

I usually take social media information with a pinch of salt, especially for the care of exotic animals and throw-away animals like members of the clean up crew. No one sheds a tear for a dead slug

Here! Lol. Do you have any sources on conch behavior in the home aquaria? My current theory is it forages at night then parks in the same spot; it's been buried by sand one day and uncovered the next. Lack of food is not an issue in my tank; take your pick of algae. I've seen conch on the glass in some threads; is that normal? I'm not for starving or killing any animal, so if you have better information please

 

[Dan_P]

Here! Lol. Do you have any sources on conch behavior in the home aquaria? My current theory is it forages at night then parks in the same spot; it's been buried by sand one day and uncovered the next. Lack of food is not an issue in my tank; take your pick of algae. I've seen conch on the glass in some threads; is that normal? I'm not for starving or killing any animal, so if you have better information please

A few more thoughts.

Actively foraging animals, day or night, is a good sign. If this actuvity is not observed, there is no way to tell. A conch moving from point A to point B is incomplete information regarding their level of foraging activity.

Starvation is a slow process. The symptoms are nearly invisible for a shelled organism. If you don’t see an animal consume food, there is no way to judge whether it is eating, let alone eating enough.

As a thought experiment, imagine the conch as a fish. Would you be concerned if it rarely moved and never saw it eat?

 

[Common Blevil]

If it is not moving, it cannot be feeding. Also, it might be slowly starving to death. It takes time to starve to death. I would take a lack of foraging as a bad sign.

Mine seems to vacuum one place for a few days and then moves to another spot. But it depends. Sometimes the conch sits in one place for a week, and sometimes it just moves around the sandbed for a few days and then settles. I think they are just weird... Fortunately my sandbed has a lot of algae on it and detritus in it, so i hope it is not starving.

 

[Common Blevil]

Interesting. Where did you read it?

I usually take social media information with a pinch of salt, especially for the care of exotic animals and throw-away animals like members of the clean up crew. No one sheds a tear for a dead slug

I certainly will shed a tear for this conch, it even has a name

 

[Dan_P]

I certainly will shed a tear for this conch, it even has a name

I am touched.

I haven’t named my Mexican turbos. I have about a dozen approaching 3 years of age which for them is old age. I fear our happy days are coming to an end.

 

[formallydehyde]

Interesting. Where did you read it?

I usually take social media information with a pinch of salt, especially for the care of exotic animals and throw-away animals like members of the clean up crew. No one sheds a tear for a dead slug

I cried when my original pacific lettuce slug died. She was with me for a year, laid some egg spirals on the glass, and died. So at least one person has shed a tear for a slug lol.

I certainly will shed a tear for this conch, it even has a name

What's your conch's name? I named my two Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay because they're very adept at climbing on top of my rockwork.

 

[Common Blevil]

What's your conch's name? I named my two Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay because they're very adept at climbing on top of my rockwork.

While your conches have really interesting and funny names, mine's when translated to English just means "funny pig". And it really suits him. Or may i say, suids...
Also i think conch read this thread and started to be more active. I don't see him being on the top of the sandbed a lot, but he moves under it, so every day i find his eyes and trunk sticking out in the new place.

 

[slingfox]

I have one strawberry and three fighting conches. They used to move around a lot during the day but are now mostly sedentary during the day and move around at night.

 

[TokenReefer]

Also i think conch read this thread and started to be more active.

Perhaps there's something to this. Mine as well

 

[formallydehyde]

While your conches have really interesting and funny names, mine's when translated to English just means "funny pig". And it really suits him. Or may i say, suids...
Also i think conch read this thread and started to be more active. I don't see him being on the top of the sandbed a lot, but he moves under it, so every day i find his eyes and trunk sticking out in the new place.

That sounds like a very good conch name.