Snail problem

[strider]

Hi one of my large Turbo's has withdrawn into its shell and produced a clear mucus over the opening and isn't looking happy

i have been given some bad advise by a LFS and i have 2 lg and 4 sm Turbos, 6 peppermints which at least 2 have shed having only been in 2 days, 10 red legged hermits 2 of which are not moving much at all also a Kole Tang 1.5" and a Red Scooter Blenny all under the advise of a LFS.

I carried out water tests this morning and the readings are up slightly from 5 days ago.

09-11-05 14-11-05
PH = 8.2 PH = 8.0 - 8.2
KH = 8 dkh KH = 8 dkh
Nitrit = 0-0,02 Nitrit = 0.05mg/l
Nitrat = 10mg/l Nitrat = 20 - 50mg/l
Ammonia = 0,0269 - 0,0538 NH3/NH4 = 0.1mg/l

Ive been using Phyto Plankton, and forzen enriched Brine shrimp also sea weed.

Although the combined ammoniun readings are a little high the ammonia levels dont show on the table, The fish both seem really happy/Healthy.

please advise

Thanx

[NicoleC]

On the inverts, my first questions would be how did you acclimate them, and for how long? The symptoms are consistant with dying from shock, which fish can handle better than inverts. At this point, there is nothing you can do -- either they will survive or they will not. Moving them and subjecting them to another change will be worse. Keep tank parameters (especially salinity) rock stable to help them out.

The peppermints molting is not a bad sign -- shrimp often molt when moved to a new tank. It is a stress reaction, but not a sign of impending death.

If you added all these animals at once, it is not surprising that your bio filter is unable to keep up. I assume that you also did not quarantine anything?

Do you have live rock, and how much? How were you planning on feeding the dragonette (scooter blenny)?

If it were my tank:

Seaweed is a good food for the kole, but s/he may also enjoy a little meaty food. I would immediately stop feeding brine shrimp in favor of a more nutritious option, but the seaweed or a seaweed-based food should be the kole's main source of nutrition. The snails may also eat the seaweed -- hopefully, since you probably do not have enough algae yet to feed all those snails. The peppermints and hermits will eat leftover meaty food.

I would immediately start training the scooter to take prepared foods in the form of mysis (chopped small enough for him/her to eat) or small pellets (also small enough to fit in the mouth easily). They sometimes need something natural like mysis or daphinia to get them used to prepared foods. Melev's "Mandarin Diner" is a good option for feeding dragonettes. Training a scooter to eat prepared foods in a display tank will be much harder than in QT, unfortunatey. If you do not have a large amount of mature live rock and are not willing/able to spend the time and effort to train the scooter to eat prepared foods AND feed him/her at least twice daily (or use the Diner), then please return the dragonette or find a new home. They need a constant supply of a rather astonishing amount of food, or they will starve and die.

I would also perform a large water change as soon as I could get the water prepared, warmed and pH balanced, etc. to dilute the ammonia and nitrite in your system.

[strider]

Ok
Acclimatisation was 30 mins to Temp and a small amount of my tank water twice for 15mins each time for all the stock no QT im afraid.

I have approx 90lbs LR

The Scooter has been grazing well on the LR but i've also been dropping Enriched frozen Brine Shrimp through a tube in front of him/her which was eaten well.

The Tang has been grazing the LR and eating the Brine Shrimp also ive not seen it eating the sea weed

I have 60ltrs RO water which im going to salt now, im running a 350ltr tank so what quantity do you recommend for the change

[NicoleC]

That's great news that the scooter is eating prepared foods. Although 90 pounds is enough rock to support the scooter, the rock is probably not mature enough to do so yet -- the prepared foods will make the difference here.

I think the acclimation process may not have been long enough, especially if the difference in salinity was significant enough. Drip acclimation is a much better way to go. If you have a friend in the medical profession, they can usually get you new or used drip valves from saline IV's that work great. Or you can buy aquarium drip products, or small airline tubing works.

I'd go ahead and do the whole 60 liters. But it's better to go smaller or wait a bit to be sure the water is temp and pH equalized and well aerated first.

Kole's do like picking at rocks for algae and may not take to the seaweed. If you rubberband it to a rock, the fish may learn to nibble at it.

[strider]

i also have an RO unit so water Quantity isn't a problem, over the next few days i'll make up the water i have a small pump to keep it moving and aereated while it come to temp ive not got a spare heater will get one tomorrow.

thanx for the advise really appreciated

ive also got a small jar for a diner for Scooter training starts immiediatly

[kevin2000]

Many turbo snails come from temperate waters and slowly cook in our tanks ... as such, the survival rate of turbo varies and I suspect that overall its not that great. To my knowledge there is no way to ascertain whether your turbo is temperate or tropical.

[strider]

well i introduced a restaurant for the Scooter and it was a mass rush for the 6 oclock special the Tang had a go the Scooter had a go and came back for another when he was steam rolled by a Pep who grabbed a big fist full and legged it all very comical

[NicoleC]

Wow! Scooters are usually shyer than that -- you've got a real glutton on your hands That is excellent news.

I don't know how to keep the shrimp out, but a jar too small for the tang to get into will help, so the scooter gets the lions share instead of getting beat out by the more aggressive tang.

[strider]

Its quite a small Tang and its quite a small jar so the Tang cant get all the way in i think its just a case of maybe putting the jar close to one of Scooters hole so he can get in un harrased the Peps well its gonna happen.
Im still smilling at the Pep though straight over the top of Scooter in big arms full and off like a rocket

[NicoleC]

Yeah, that's shrimp for you, the cockroaches of the sea.

[strider]

well if nothing else the Diner gave me an opertunity to see most of my stock at the same time the word must have got out as the mass exodus was quite cool to watch

[strider]

Here's a couple of pics of Scooter in his new restaurant feeding well on Mysis. He went straight in as soon as i placed it so im happier knowing hes feeding,
Also removed the large Turbo last night and carried out another test this morning still a little high but dropping, fresh water is nearly ready so i'll do a change this afternoon

[strider]

might help if i put the pic's on

[NicoleC]

Very nice. Thanks for the pictures.

He (I think, I can't quite see the dorsal fin) is a nice bright red. A little pinched in the stomach, but they all are after being transported. He has a nice fat tail and I suspect he will plump again in no time.

That may be a bigger chunk of mysis than you want to keep feeding. That looks like a LOT of food, unless he's a really small scooter?

[BrianPlankis]

That is great that your scooter is eating so well! Congrats.

I'll state the obvious here, but you might want to avoid that LFS for advice from now on. Here are a couple of resources to get you started:

From the experts:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/dw/index.php

From me (quoting and linking to many experts):
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...=&pagenumber=1

Brian

[strider]

I think he's a he his spine is a little taller than the fin, and yes he's only 1" but i put half a cube of mysis in, i did think it a little to much but within seconds the Tang is trying to get at it and the Peps just swarm in for a free feast which is not good as i want them working the Aptasia.

And thanx for the links