How to 'scrape' algae off snails to promote coraline growth?

[tutmatt3]

Hey Guys,

Man.. thankfully there is no limit to how many questions I can post xD. But ya, as the title says - how do you go about scraping coraline off snails when putting in the tank?

Do people do it with just a sharp razor blade & run it sideways?

I see some people recommend doing it in front of a powerhead, as well as turning off the skimmer / filters for a few hours. This true?

Also, what snails would you recommend I start with? Right now, nothing growing in the tank for them to really eat - just maybe some left over food from my 2x clowns.

Thanks!

 

[Bassett22]

why are you scraping your poor snails?

 

[tutmatt3]

why are you scraping your poor snails?

Is it harmful if done with caution & care?

I just saw MANY posts commenting on the practice. Don't want to do it if it'll hurt em

 

[Jason mack]

Hey Guys,

Man.. thankfully there is no limit to how many questions I can post xD. But ya, as the title says - how do you go about scraping coraline off snails when putting in the tank?

Do people do it with just a sharp razor blade & run it sideways?

I see some people recommend doing it in front of a powerhead, as well as turning off the skimmer / filters for a few hours. This true?

Also, what snails would you recommend I start with? Right now, nothing growing in the tank for them to really eat - just maybe some left over food from my 2x clowns.

Thanks!

Just buy a small piece of live rock that's covered in coralline and scrape that .. an leave it in your tank !!

 

[tutmatt3]

Just buy a small piece of live rock that's covered in coralline and scrape that .. an leave it in your tank !!

I know I've read that a lot too, but far more cautious, especially since I don't trust the lfs rock around me.

Any other methods to suggest? Maybe frags that have them? Or snails but NOT scraping them?

 

[Bassett22]

Is it harmful if done with caution & care?

I just saw MANY posts commenting on the practice. Don't want to do it if it'll hurt em

I dont know if its harmful, I just dont understand the idea behind it. Ive been away from teh hobby for a year or two on "break". Coraline will spread in time without having to scrape a snail. that would be just a tiny amount in the tank anyway.

If you cant trust your LFS then find a local member that will trade you a rock from a clean healthy tank.

 

[tutmatt3]

I dont know if its harmful, I just dont understand the idea behind it. Ive been away from teh hobby for a year or two on "break". Coraline will spread in time without having to scrape a snail. that would be just a tiny amount in the tank anyway.

If you cant trust your LFS then find a local member that will trade you a rock from a clean healthy tank.

Smart option to consider. Thanks!

Ya as you can tell the whole pest/hitchhiker thing makes me nervous. I know that they can find a way into the tank one way or another, but really just trying to limit it.

Maybe best just to not mess w/ chasing coraline growth at all then and just let it develop with patience.

 

[Bassett22]

This is such a weird turn for me in the hobby, I see so many people trying to setup pristine tanks with no life in them. Some pests can be a headache, but for the most part, the little bit of stuff that come in on live rock isnt that hard to deal with. anything that causes a real risk to your tank is usually brought in on corals. (pests that eat coral mainly)

 

[Brad Bessett]

A little off course but I read somewhere about doing a "corraline bomb". Basically you find a buddy with a ton of it on their glass, have him scrape off a bunch of shavings and then you put it in a blender/food chopper to break it down into small particles, then dump it into a high flow area of the tank to spread it all around.

Pretty genius idea.

 

[Bassett22]

A little off course but I read somewhere about doing a "corraline bomb". Basically you find a buddy with a ton of it on their glass, have him scrape off a bunch of shavings and then you put it in a blender/food chopper to break it down into small particles, then dump it into a high flow area of the tank to spread it all around.

Pretty genius idea.

Thats likely a better option then scraping snails.

 

[Brad Bessett]

I'll add to not find and scrape snails for corraline. Post a request in a local group - Someone will have a ton they don't care to have on their glass.

 

[tankstudy]

You don't need to scrape the coralline off the snails. The snails when traveling will end up scraping and dumping it all over the tank by themselves. Its actually how I've seeded my tanks in the past.

As for starting snails. If you have no algae but left over food. Start with the scavengers, the nassarius snails.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I see so many people trying to setup pristine tanks with no life in them.

It is weird isnt it. And more probs with easy stuff. Imo lack of micro diversity.

For the op, i used Fiji mud on a tank transfer, and got colors of coralline I never had before. its a $14 thought.

And as far as snails, base it first IMO on the foods your feeding, a lot of meat get some carnivores. also get a variety of grazers as alages ARE growing even if you don't see them yet.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.258695/

 

[DLHDesign]

Ya as you can tell the whole pest/hitchhiker thing makes me nervous. I know that they can find a way into the tank one way or another, but really just trying to limit it.

My advice: embrace the chaos that is the ocean.
There are certainly things that we want to keep out of our tanks because we just don't have room to deal with them, of course. But for every one thing that we don't want, there are hundreds that we do. So long as reasonable care is taken (don't add an algae-covered rock, for example), things like live rock and live sand are an effective way to bring our little boxes of water closer to the environment most of us are trying to mimic.

I wouldn't scrape snails. As has been said; they'll scrape themselves about enough as it is. There will come a time when you shake your fist at your introverts for knocking over all your (supposedly) well-glued corals, they move around so.

For the op, i used Fiji mud on a tank transfer, and got colors of coralline I never had before.

Great suggestion!

 

[tutmatt3]

Soooooooooo much awesome advice, thanks everyone!


Never heard of Fiji mud before too, def have to read into it!
And I can understand what you guys are saying regarding the LR fear. I mean it IS the first tank I've ever done, so all I can rely on is what i read/research/learn from others, and so far - the use of dry rock & fear of LR has been the main thing I've read.
If only I had more experience to teach me

Thats where you guys come in! Cheers!!!

 

[tripdad]

Post up where your located and I am sure you can get all you want free. If your near me I'll set you up.

 

[tutmatt3]

Post up where your located and I am sure you can get all you want free. If your near me I'll set you up.

Cheers!

Close to Los Angeles in CA (small city named simi valley)

A bit of a drive from Chicago

Thanks though!!!

 

[DLHDesign]

Close to Los Angeles in CA (small city named simi valley)

My brother is down near you; but he doesn't reef, so that's of zero help at all...

 

[Jason mack]

Smart option to consider. Thanks!

Ya as you can tell the whole pest/hitchhiker thing makes me nervous. I know that they can find a way into the tank one way or another, but really just trying to limit it.

Maybe best just to not mess w/ chasing coraline growth at all then and just let it develop with patience.

Now your on the right track .. have patience .. and all will come good in time !!!!

 

[tutmatt3]

Now your on the right track .. have patience .. and all will come good in time !!!!

Cheers!

Had a long talk w/ a guy @ a LFS who told me just get test kits & make sure my tank would be reef ready (mag/calc/ph), and he'll just scrape some off the windows of their coral display tank & toss in a bag for me.
Really nice gesture of him