Clean up crew care

[j-man the skater-man]

I know snails are generally thrown into the "cleanup crew" and arent given alot of credit when it comes to research but i have found out a few things about some snails that are commonly sold in LFS that i think could be helpful. So i figured if i started a thread on their care it might help. So i shall start with what i know and ask a few questions im pretty sure someone can answer easily.

Margarita snails are not suitable for reef temp. aquariums for any major length of time. What about ones with coraline algea growth on the shell?

How would someone clean a dead snail out of its shell?

[wetpetshawaii]

halloween hermits, dwarf zebra hermits,sally lightfoot crabs....lawnmower blennies.....also do a great job cleaning up detritus and algae.....the hermits will eat the dead snalil and take its shell.....if its a better fit for them....Aloha

[jasno999]

By far the best snail for eating algae, in my opinion, is the turbo snail. I have the mexican turbo snail and the thing is a monster in terms of eatign algae off rocks.

[wetpetshawaii]

have you seen the ones that come out of christmas Island.....they are huge!!! like the size of a tennis ball....I couldnt beleive it....but its true...

[Zanekiller]

I have just a lawnmower blennie cleaning the tank and hes doing a good job but HES JUMPING ON MY TRIGGER!

[CollegeReefer]

Normally your hermits will eat your snail while it is dieing or after death. By the time i notice there is nothing left except the snail shell.

I will also say that just because the snail is found in cooler water that doesn't mean it can't be kept in reef tank. Many things that are kept in reef tanks come from all sorts of water temps.

As for the intent of your thread, are you looking for specific information on a certain snail or are you just wanted others to post what they know?

[j-man the skater-man]

Just for others to post what they know.

[Damon]

Astrea snails are great glass cleaners and will graze over liverock. Very slow and cannot right theselves when turned over.

Nassarius snails burrow under the substrate and are pretty good cleaning the tank sand above and below.

Cerith snails have the same behavior as nassarius snails.

Trocheus snails look like big astrea and are wonderful scavengers eating algae and deterius 24/7 and they eat a lot.

Turbo snails are fast as all get out. But they have a tendency to knock over small rocks and new coral. They are bulldozers.....

Margarita snails work well and add some color.........

Coralline algae growing on shells is no big deal.

Hermits will kill snails for their shells, not just wait till they die. I've seen many evict my nassarius for their shells.

Scarlets are they safest hermits I've had followed by red legged then blue legged. Priced as such too.

Gobies and blennies are great scavengers... Not big fans of stars