So about 7 months ago I started my tank, a 25 gallon nano. Got past the a fishless cycle, added some coralline algae and then added 5 trochus snail to handle any algae problems. The good news is I haven't really had any nuissance algae problems aside from some light bubble algae. Fast forward a few months and I noticed there were some baby snails on the glass. Great news right? Then I looked at the substrate and noticed there were at least 100 of them, I lost track. While part of me is proud that I'm a successful snail parent, is there anything I should be concerned with other than them having enough food. At what point is it safe to take them out of the tank to give away/sell?
Trochus snail population explosion?
- Thread starter ReefJuice
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Time to make that hobby pay! Haha!
The trochus population in my tank seems to cull itself from time to time if I let it go after a large population boom from new baby snails.
It has never really been a real problem, but I don’t like seeing anything die. So usually I just give them to friends/fellow reefers once they reach the size of a small pencil eraser. Trochus snails aren’t exactly cheap at LFS, so I’m sure some people in your area would even be willing to buy some off you or trade for a frag or something.
It has never really been a real problem, but I don’t like seeing anything die. So usually I just give them to friends/fellow reefers once they reach the size of a small pencil eraser. Trochus snails aren’t exactly cheap at LFS, so I’m sure some people in your area would even be willing to buy some off you or trade for a frag or something.
I have put in sheet algae in the past to help supplement when they are running low on food. Normally when they are big enough to easily grab with your fingers is when I move them to my other tanks. Honestly I am thinking about setting up a tank to just raise more Trochus I have one tank where they spawn pretty well but I only end up with maybe 10-15 that get big enough to move to other tanks. I would like to increase that number as they are one of my favorite clean up crew but the prices on them have gotten crazy lately.
I had the same problems even the babies were laying eggs, eventually the population did die down and I dont think I had any that made it to full adult hood. I did buy some bumblebee snails to help with vermetid snails unsure if that had an affection on the population
At this point they're juveniles, their shells are starting to get pretty big. Other inverts like crabs or shrimp can feed on them. They were alone for a long time in my tank with my two clowns.
Late to the party, but I only started having an issue when I got two free baby snails from my lfs. To be fair, I asked for them not thinking they'd be able to mate and especially because the large one I paid for died before they got in. I'm currently sitting at the 20 I can see, but I know there are many more in and around my rocks plus the tiny ones that I see along the glass. At least I'll be able to grow them to control the algae.
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