[reef4gsp]

So at first I thought my Green Spotted Puffer was picking at the snails, but even in my sump/fuge the buggers are dying. They usually roll over and cover their soft area with a cover-thingy. Occasionally they recover. I have this one, he just sits there, retracted and attached to a virtical face, and moves a few inches about twice a week. I smell my tank every day to watch out for the smell of death. why are they doing this? It's bewildering and bothersome. I thought they would be easy to keep. at least compared to corals.

[RyanG]

How are your water parameters and what type of snails are they? I haven't had any problems with mine...

[NOSAJ214]

You need to add calcium most likely.

[IceMan]

any chance of copper contamination?

[reef4gsp]

calcium is 420. I have hermits and a slug that are fine plus a few corals/anemones so I don't think copper is an issue. besides I've never medicated my tank, even when it was fresh.
Turbos, nerites, a few other species. Same symtoms.

Edit: nitrate 5-15 (hits 15 rarely) usually 5-10. phospate is just on the scale. (I beleive that translates to 0.25?) The first one above zero.

I'd like to add that I have one snail that is less than quarter size that happily plugs away eating algae and flips over only every other week or so. He is at least 1 Y.O.

[IceMan]

look closely at them when they are opened and see if you see any VERY small cone shaped pariste snails on them, also can you get good macro shots of the effected snails multi angles?

[reef4gsp]

1. My digi cam sucks monkey brains from a straw 2. I now only have the one "ok" snail which usually "plays dead" in the rock work, hardly in view.
I never realized parisites could be the problem. Where would these small snails be? on the flesh of the snail? What color are they?

[IceMan]

white very small, the live on clams and snail hosts... can't think of th name of them right now google it. pyramid snails sounds right...

[spanko]

PYRAMID SNAILS

If you see little white snails hitching a ride on your turbo snail, astraea, or clam, you may have these nasty parasites. They suck the blood of their host until dead! If you have them, pick them off their hosts until gone. They are species-specific and will only go after the same type snail or clam (clam pyramids won't attack snails and vice-versa).

[IceMan]

ya!!! what he said, i thought it was right but wasn't sure of th name

[unclejed]

WellIi think to settle this, since water parameters are good (you didn't mention Alkalinity) snails don't live long! I totally gave up on them. I use Blue legged crabs primarily and some Red legged. It is a fact, they just don't live long.

[IceMan]

how long is long? i've only had my tanks about 5 months but i've only lost 2 snails to my knowledge... should i be planning on replacements soon?

[spanko]

Unclejed is partially correct. Here is an article from Dr. Ron explaining some of the reasoning.
The Grazing Snails, Part I - Turbo, Trochus, Astraea, and Kin by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

[unclejed]

The article spanko gives answers all the questions on why snails don't live long in the aquarium. Note the 5 hour acclimation part and the food requirements.

[reef4gsp]

I think I'm going to make a hang-on-drip-acclimator and see if I have more success. That seems to be my problem. I'll take note if the remaining snail shows his symptoms in a timely relation to a changeover. Thanks All.