Nano Lagoon (16a): Super Snail

http://www.ipsf.com TO WATCH IN HIGH QUALITY, stop the video, then click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX96XguXA-Y&fmt=18

Things begin to heat up as three grazing snails meet after hours in their Nano Lagoon -- the simple, inexpensive reef tank for newbies.

First we briefly recap the steps we've taken since starting our Nano Lagoon tank.

Next we feature a close look at our favorite snail grazer. We explain why grazing snails will venture our onto a course-grained sandbed, cleaning the grains one by one, whereas in a reef tank with fine (sugar) sand, snail grazers cannot glide over the sand without getting stuck. Nor can they turn themselves over quickly if they fall onto fine sand as there is nothing firm for their foot to grip.

Fine sand renders overturned snail grazers helpless and vulnerable to attack by crabs, fishes and other predators.

Please use only captive-bred organisms in your reef aquarium.

To learn more about our captive-bred Strombus Grazers and other grazing snails click here:
http://ipsf.com/reeftanktuneup.html

To see more of our videos click here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ipsfdotcom&view=videos

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• ipsf.com
• Indo-Pacific Sea Farms
• Nano Lagoon
• Strombus Grazer
• snail grazer
• nano reef tank
• Gerald
• Heslinga

[HAYDZREEF]

just wondering can you put a courser grain sand over a finer grain sand.

[ipsfdotcom]

You can do that if you have already established your tank with fine sand. However if you are just starting out it is better to use course-grained sand for the whole sandbed, for the reasons exlpained in our earlier video on sandbeds.

[cozymonk]

that snail is not hermaphroditic? I thought only a few species of snails were not hermaphrodites, apple snails being one of them.

[ipsfdotcom]

The vast majority of the marine prosobranch gastropods (snails with shells) are not hermaphroditic. They are dioecious, meaning that the sexes are separate.

[ipsfdotcom]

thanks! how 'bout this for the next video:

"Teenage MiniStars and the Amphipods Who Love Them: Are They Depleting the Ozone Layer?"

Or this: "Colon Abuse in YouTube Video Titles: It's Getting Ridiculous!"

[DaytonaRoadster]

huh, thats strange, i have a mix of fine sand and agaonite, more fine sand, and i have several species of snail in my main tank, and they seem to move just fine. They do tend to stick to the glass most of the time, but thats where most of the algea is (the sand is always very white and clean, could be the hermit crabs)

Snail sex vid FTW

[ipsfdotcom]

For the algae-grazing snails that normally inhabit hard substrates, sand grain size is positively correlated with locomotive ability. The finer the grain the harder it becomes for these snails to glide or turn over. A mixed substrate will allow them some traction though.

Try dropping an Astrea snail on fine sand and watch it struggle to turn itself over. They just can't get a grip, lol.

OTOH, snails like Nassarius are adapted to living in fine sand and can simply plow through it.

[MrMw2nolife]

@ipsfdotcom How much was it in all?

[Nugburner420]

never heard the word "threesome" and thought of something other besides one thing. bow chicka bow wow

[oluwafemi24]

with this type of tank do you need a protien skimmer

[beachkrazd]

"OMG!!!!" LOL =)

[MrDouglasmako]

dude that was funny

[cozymonk]

the more you know. I learned something new.