which Snails for Macro Algae themed tank?

Doctorgori · Jul 31, 2024

I added Red Ogo to start a macro collection in my 900XXL refugium section.
Forgot a turbo snail was in there; wasted $30 worth of red ogo… BTW and FWIW I discovered pitho crabs eats/prefers macro algae in lieu of bubble algae IF macros are available and even when plenty of bubble algae is present …
Basically I discovered Pitho crabs and Mexican turbos definitely eat red ogo and some caulerpa even if/when other foods are available

I have since ordered an assortment of ceriths snail species; here is a recent order from ReefCleaners, will these be OK? or am I just feeding expensive macros to snails again?

SKU	Qty	Product Name
LN1QZG	5	Astraea Snails
IJ7QZG	6	Cortez Cerith
JH1QZC	25	Dwarf Cerith
IJ1QZG	7	East African Cerith
IF1QZG	10	Florida Cerith
BA3QZG	3	Limpets
LC9QZJ	2	Money Cowrie
JG3QZG	8	Nerite Snail
LC5QZI	5	Ninja Star Snail
LA5QZG	6	Ox Tongue Nerite
IH3QZI	3	Prickly Cerith
IG3QZG	10	Stocky Cerith
AH3QZN	3	Tectus Snails
LB5QZI	4	Tongan Nassarius
BA7QZE	5	Virgin Nerites

Also which turbos are the least likely to munch on macros? here is a list of the most commonly available ones.

Indo Turbo Snail (Turbo bruneus)
Mexican Turbo Snail, Turbo fluctuosa
Smooth Turbo Snails (Lunella cinerea
Zebra Turbo Snail (T. bruneus)
Crowned Turbo Lunella Coronata

I have owned all the above and while I have noticed some differences in longevity BUT I have not noticed an algae preferences. If anyone has kept turbos with caulerpra or any macro, and have noticed any loss, OR not, please give specific species info…. appreciate it…
Also could use cleanup crew suggestion with macros…

Unrelated: Edited perk of supporting member)

I usually order Gulf Ecosystems (and did) but read the reviews on Macrolady and someone gave a bad review… I was cautious at first but gave this vendor a shot and my order came in… spoiler: I was pleased

goody · Jul 31, 2024

I have some Astrea in my macro tank and I haven't had an issue with eating my macros, but they don't touch the bubble algae.

I recently ordered 5 Pitho crabs for my display tank and they devoured not only the bubble algae but other algae in the tank I had from my nutrients nearly zeroing out. I was considering moving them to my macro tank or refugium since both have lots of bubble algae but I was worried they would eat all my macros.
Thanks for confirming my worry.

Doctorgori · Jul 31, 2024

goody said:
I was considering moving them to my macro tank or refugium since both have lots of bubble algae but I was worried they would eat all my macros.

I can confirm with my own eyes I actually watched mine munching down the red ogo. Actually caught him in the act.
I can also confirm that Mexican turbos also eat red ogo

BristleWormHater · Jul 31, 2024

Mexican nerite snails
https://seahorsesavvy.com/collections/snails/products/mexican-nerite-snail

vlangel · Aug 2, 2024

I like nassarius snails in my macro tank but I haven't found anything that is very effective with bubble algae.

Doctorgori · Aug 3, 2024

BristleWormHater said:
Mexican nerite snails
https://seahorsesavvy.com/collections/snails/products/mexican-nerite-snail

How have I missed these? I’ve seen freshwater nerites with nice shells but the nice thing about the sw species is often they cluster above the waterline so they are very visible ….
Hopefully Alyssa gets in Reidi, if so I'll cop some

JoJosReef · Aug 3, 2024

Doctorgori said:
I added Red Ogo to start a macro collection in my 900XXL refugium section.
Forgot a turbo snail was in there; wasted $30 worth of red ogo… BTW and FWIW I discovered pitho crabs eats/prefers macro algae in lieu of bubble algae IF macros are available and even when plenty of bubble algae is present …
Basically I discovered Pitho crabs and Mexican turbos definitely eat red ogo and some caulerpa even if/when other foods are available

I have since ordered an assortment of ceriths snail species; here is a recent order from ReefCleaners, will these be OK? or am I just feeding expensive macros to snails again?

SKU
Qty
Product Name
LN1QZG
5
Astraea Snails
IJ7QZG
6
Cortez Cerith
JH1QZC
25
Dwarf Cerith
IJ1QZG
7
East African Cerith
IF1QZG
10
Florida Cerith
BA3QZG
3
Limpets
LC9QZJ
2
Money Cowrie
JG3QZG
8
Nerite Snail
LC5QZI
5
Ninja Star Snail
LA5QZG
6
Ox Tongue Nerite
IH3QZI
3
Prickly Cerith
IG3QZG
10
Stocky Cerith
AH3QZN
3
Tectus Snails
LB5QZI
4
Tongan Nassarius
BA7QZE
5
Virgin Nerites

Also which turbos are the least likely to munch on macros? here is a list of the most commonly available ones.

Indo Turbo Snail (Turbo bruneus)
Mexican Turbo Snail, Turbo fluctuosa
Smooth Turbo Snails (Lunella cinerea
Zebra Turbo Snail (T. bruneus)
Crowned Turbo Lunella Coronata

I have owned all the above and while I have noticed some differences in longevity BUT I have not noticed an algae preferences. If anyone has kept turbos with caulerpra or any macro, and have noticed any loss, OR not, please give specific species info…. appreciate it…
Also could use cleanup crew suggestion with macros…

Unrelated: Edited perk of supporting member)

I usually order Gulf Ecosystems (and did) but read the reviews on Macrolady and someone gave a bad review… I was cautious at first but gave this vendor a shot and my order came in… spoiler: I was pleased

I've had all of the above, except the Tongan and the Tectus, with pom pom gracilaria, codium, galaxaura, Botrycladia, Caulerpa prolifera (shhh), flat branch Gracilaria and a few others I've forgotten. I have not observed the ones on your list eating macros, but they do crawl on the macros, which can be a problem for some like Botry, where the branches break. Every turbo I've gotten has been happy to chew macros, and only codium has survived them--they eat it a bit slower than it grows.

I think your list is fine for general CUC in a macro tank. Might have to do some salvaging for pieces that get broken. I don't have any suggestions for bubble algae. If it gets out of hand, I would remove the macros to a separate holding tank, manually remove bubble algae and unleash the pithos for a few days before moving them back to the DT, then return the macros, giving them a good clean to pick off bubble algae that sticks to their branches.