Dead Turbo Grazers
 

I bought about 10 Mexican Turbo Grazers a few weeks ago to help take care of
a hair algae problem in my 30-gallon tank. Nine have died within about 2
weeks leaving me with only one. My water parameters are testing well NO2 =
0; NO3=0; PO4=0; Ca=440; pH=8.3; S.G.=1.024. I have about 10 hermit crabs:
red legged, blue legged and the ones with black&white legs. Do you think
that there's something in the water quality or could the hermits be eating
them? I'm running on a wet/dry with bioballs, an urchin protein skimmer and
two powerheads in the tank for circulation.

Thanks!

Maddie

"maddie" wrote in message
...
|I bought about 10 Mexican Turbo Grazers a few weeks ago to help take
care of
| a hair algae problem in my 30-gallon tank. Nine have died within
about 2
| weeks leaving me with only one. My water parameters are testing
well NO2 =
| 0; NO3=0; PO4=0; Ca=440; pH=8.3; S.G.=1.024. I have about 10
hermit crabs:
| red legged, blue legged and the ones with black&white legs. Do you
think
| that there's something in the water quality or could the hermits be
eating
| them? I'm running on a wet/dry with bioballs, an urchin protein
skimmer and
| two powerheads in the tank for circulation.
|


Hmm...Wet\Dry filters are horrible for reef tanks, serious nitrate
producers...I'm going to guess that either your test kit is shot, or
you have TONS of live rock to eat all the NO3 you're manufacturing...
As for the snails....how big are the ones with the b\w legs?
Sounds like a common hermit, and they get big and nasty.

Have you tested NH3?


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"maddie" wrote in message
...
I bought about 10 Mexican Turbo Grazers a few weeks ago to help take care
of
a hair algae problem in my 30-gallon tank. Nine have died within about 2
weeks leaving me with only one.



What is your tank temperature?
If I am not mistaken "Mexican" turbos (the really huge ones) are from cooler
waters than most of our reef tanks.

Check out http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.htm where he
mentions some other causes including poor acclimation procedures.



--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm