Snail die-off

[returnofsid]

Well, maybe I should have added this to the thread I have going about my sick Xenia. But I figured I'd go ahead and start a new thread. In my 46 bowtank, I've had some issues in the past week. The other day, my huge Xenia started looking real bad. Most of it had turned white and about half of it was missing. Now it all appears to be dying. Here's a link to that post...

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20427

Now it appears that in the same tank, most, if not all of my snails have died. I may have 1 or 2 Trocheus still living but lots of Nassarius, a couple Trocheus and it seems all the Turbos are dead. I've checked my water and everything seems fine. I've also noticed my blue-green chromis acting a lil' funny. He's basically swimming laps around the tank, near the top. When it's not swimming, it's hiding behind a PH. Yesterday, I watched it real close at feeding time. It barely ate at all, while swimming laps. I understand they like to be in a small school, instead of singly and that this might be the problem. My GSM has also been tearing up my Chaeto that's in the display tank. It's nowhere near the RBTA but the GSM seems to like to swim over to the Chaeto, take ahold of it and swim off with a small clump of it....lol. Guess I'm going to have to remove the Chaeto from the display and put it in the fuge with the rest of it. I have no idea if any of this is related but am getting concerned. I've made no changed or additions to the tank in quite some time, other than water changes and top-offs. In fact, I noticed the Xenia the morning after doing a late evening top off with fresh water. However, I've not had any problems in the past after doing top offs. I've also still not seen my Coral Beauty for quite some time. I think it probably jumped out and one of our cats got it...lol. Haven't found it stuck to the carpet anywhere.

This is a 46 bowtank with about 70# of good live rock, about 1" of live sand. I also have the large CPR HOB fuge with about 4" of live sand, some rubble rock and lots of Chaeto. For live stock, I have a Kenya Tree, Xenia, Candy Cane Coral, Frogspawn, an RBTA and several mushrooms corals. It also contains a GSM Clown, a Mandarin Dragonette, 1 Blue-Green Chromis, a couple Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Blood Shrimp and a couple small Hermit Crabs. Also the Coral Beauty, which I haven't seen in over a week now. Other than the Xenia, all the other corals are doing just fine.

I just tested salinity, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, PH and everything is fine. Unfortunately, I don't have a way of testing anything else. Any suggestions???

 

[class clown]

Sorry you're having bad luck. Got a picture of the tank?

Me personally, I've never had luck keeping Xenia, but i can keep everything else including lotsa SPS. Weird, I know. But some of us just aren't made to keep it I guess. Have you tested Iodine levels for Xenia? If no, I've heard that is a big one for them, so may want to pickup a test kit for that.

On the snails, I know they sometimes just reach their lifespan and die off, but it is concerning that they're doing it all around the same time. Almost sounds like you have a hitchhiker of some sort on the prowl that might be getting your snails and xenia. Keep a close eye out for a wierd looking crab, sometimes they just come out at night. Onother idea might be food sources, is there enough food for the snails to go around? if not, they could all be suffering?

I don't know man.. It sounds to me like your probably doing all of the right things. I'll be curuious to discover what you find out.

 

[returnofsid]

Well, if it's a hitchiker, it's a quick one because it seems all the snails died off the same night. Could be though, I guess. Although I haven't added any new rock or anything, so if it's a hitchiker, it's been in the tank for at least 6 months with no issues at all. Xenia was doing great for the past 6 months or so as well and just up and melted over night. This is all just strange...lol.

 

[kronnk7]

Hi, I'm new to this board but I had alot of snails dieing when I first started up a 55 gallon. I found out that it was that my iodine was to high. Like was stated already, iodine is a must for xenia too. So if I was you I would get a test. JMO

 

[Grey Legion]

I have Xenia & Snails, all doing well so far, can you tell me the relationship between iodine and Xenia/snails ?? how does on test it and how does add or depleat it ??

 

[kronnk7]

If your iodine levels are to high for what ever reason it can kill snails. As far as xenia goes, they are very sensitive to iodine levels. I would also check your copper levels because as all reefers know copper is very deadly to all soft body creatures.

 

[returnofsid]

Well, I've never dosed Iodine and my Xenia has been flourishing until this event. I've heard a lot of different information about iodine and Xenia. I've come to the conclusion that iodine isn't as needed as a lot have come to believe. I will definately look into copper though. Even though the rest of my corals, shrimp and hermit crabs are doing great, one never knows.