Question about Turbo Snails
 

A friend has algae growing in his all-fish marine tank. I suggested turbo
snails because I had heard that they eat the algae, but he says the guy at the
lfs told him that when an invertabrate dies, it releases toxins into the water.
I thought that was just for corals and stuff. Whats the deal with turbo snails?
--
E.G.Mono

if the snails die and are left to rot they would create higher nitrates
which i guess could be percieved as toxins....depends on how you look at it
i guess. but not like toxin a coral would use to sting things. I have
never heard such things about turbo snails...what lfs are you talking about?



"EGMono" wrote in message
...
A friend has algae growing in his all-fish marine tank. I suggested turbo
snails because I had heard that they eat the algae, but he says the guy at
the
lfs told him that when an invertabrate dies, it releases toxins into the
water.
I thought that was just for corals and stuff. Whats the deal with turbo
snails?
--
E.G.Mono

"EGMono" wrote in message
...
|A friend has algae growing in his all-fish marine tank. I suggested
turbo
| snails because I had heard that they eat the algae, but he says the
guy at the
| lfs told him that when an invertabrate dies, it releases toxins
into the water.
| I thought that was just for corals and stuff. Whats the deal with
turbo snails?
| --


When *anything* dies, it will release toxins into the water as the
carcass deteriorates. Inverts have softer bodies, with thin skin and
no skeleton, so they tend to deteriorate faster, some VERY fast. I
have a very effective cleanup crew, so I tend not to worry about
anything dying in my tank, as it's usually gone before I even realize
that it has died. g
An aside about Turbo Snails, I've discovered that a great many of
the ones on the market now are from Mexico, and are accustomed to
colder waters, and will not thrive in our tropical marine tanks.

I assume he had heard about certain sea cucumbers and such. The snails
should be fine.

"EGMono" wrote in message
...
A friend has algae growing in his all-fish marine tank. I suggested turbo
snails because I had heard that they eat the algae, but he says the guy at
the
lfs told him that when an invertabrate dies, it releases toxins into the
water.
I thought that was just for corals and stuff. Whats the deal with turbo
snails?
--
E.G.Mono