do cerith snails do you any good?

[lakwriter]

Hi all, I've bought cerith snails a couple times now and they never seem to do anything. I'll put them in the tank, they'll stay in the same place for a day or more. Bury themeselves in the sand for a while and then pop up in nearly the same place. I never see them actually "cleaning" and after about two months, I start to find that they have become a nice lunch for my hermits and shrimp.

In comparison, when I add turbos, nassarius, and astreas, they seem to go right to work and move quickly throughout the tank.

I always acclimate for 90 minutes regardless of snail variety.

Do you have similar experiences? Different? Is there something I don't know about these snails?

[xcreonx]

i used to catch them when i lived in florida and put them in my tank. they seemed to do their job in the sand. i dont think they're 'glass cleaners' like turbos will be. they also seem more nocturnal like nassarius snails are.

[barbra]

I have breeding ceriths and I love them. They rise up out of the sand each evening and plow along. When the population gets thick they move up onto the rocks and there isn't a spec of algae to be seen. They aren't much for cleaning glass, but that's not really why I have them so it doesn't bother me.

Plus they can turn their own selves over

[BreefMe]

I have some, but I also have 3 other species as well. Cerith snails stay in one spot because I believe thay really want to make sure that the area they are at is completely clean before moving. Unfortunately, they have a hard time keeping up with most tank's production.

I think the best snails I have found are the Ilyanassa Obsoleta. They do it all. Glass, sand stirring, rock cleaning; the works - they are very active, too.

[barbra]

Ilyanassa obsoleta are well known to be avoided for several reasons. Try this article:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php

[USC-fan]

Originally posted by BreefMe
I have some, but I also have 3 other species as well. Cerith snails stay in one spot because I believe thay really want to make sure that the area they are at is completely clean before moving. Unfortunately, they have a hard time keeping up with most tank's production.

I think the best snails I have found are the Ilyanassa Obsoleta. They do it all. Glass, sand stirring, rock cleaning; the works - they are very active, too.

Those are not reef safe....

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php

edit: beaten...

[BreefMe]

Originally posted by barbra
Ilyanassa obsoleta are well known to be avoided for several reasons. Try this article:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php

I really want to cry after reading that article. What in the H do I do now????

[luke33]

If you have 100hermits and 200 snails just give it time and your hermits will kill all your snails anyhow. ; ) I try not to ever match those two together.

[cd77]

They move slowly, but do help keep the sand clean in quantities (bury the diatoms )

They were the favorite shells of my scarlet hermits and were regularly being killed off until I found the right shells for my hermits. After that, they haven't touched a single cerith.

[kydsexy]

i have to add this before any more snails/hermits comments. here's what you do. got to your local hardware store. they sell packages of shells at any given time in the year. i bought 2 packs with about 200 shells total for under $10. they have the bigger packages of like 25 shells for $6

[balmiesgirl]

I try to stick with buying livestock from 1 region, (Indo Pacific for big tank, Red sea for nano). It makes purchasing decisions easier.
I agree w/ Luke33 your hermits will eventually "take care" of your snails anyhow.....

[sixspeed]

Trochus and Turbos have been allstars in my tanks. I do not know too much about the ceriths. But as everyone else has said eventually your hermits will need new homes.

[MJAnderson]

I've found that ceriths are great for cleaning at the glass/sand line.

[hyperfocal]

It's a mystery to me how trochus snails survive in the wild -- three or for times week I'm rescuing some poor bugger who's managed to land on his back. Maybe they evolved on a reef with little or no gravity? Lunar snails, perhaps?

[cd77]

My Trochus never seem to fall over -- but for the snails that do, I'd imagine they rely on tides, current to flip them up right.

[sixspeed]

Trochus snails have the ability to flip themselves upright. Its astrea snails that are useless and cant rect themselves.

[hyperfocal]

Tell that to my trochus snails... maybe they skipped class that day.

[cd77]

Got a picture of one? Just curious if mine are the same..

Originally posted by hyperfocal
Tell that to my trochus snails... maybe they skipped class that day.

[hyperfocal]

No, but I will take a snapshot this eve.

[erichatesmice]

I'm with hyper... my trochus snails tip over every once in a while. I had Astrea snails that were totally helpless. At least these guys try like mad buggers to right themselves, but sometimes I have to help them out.

[lakwriter]

Well, the hermits have plenty of shells to move into if they choose to do so. And they do. I have plenty of other snails that do not seem to share the same fate. My primary interest was related to the lethargic nature of the ceriths that I've had. I just don't see much activity regardless of the time of day. I never expected them to clean the glass. I have astreas for that. I just figured I'd see more activity around the sand. I guess I'll just keep watching.

[lakwriter]

and the ceriths outnumber the hermits...

[Skier1]

There is a great 3 part series on snails in the Reefkeeping magazine part of this site (it's even indexed for when you are looking for something).

Here's the part which discusses Cerith snails:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rs/index.php