[FlaviusMaximus]

I have had these snails in my tanks since day one. OK, I have only had marine tanks for a little less than one year but still, I have to have learned something in this time; after all learning is supposed to be part of the hobby right?

These guys clean the glass great, then they lay eggs all over it after a good feeding. I even think my shrimp may eat some of these egss. They especially clean the front glass (don't know why yet), which is fine with me cause it keeps the view better. I find hermit crabs to be a predator given that they attck these fellas for their shells and most people keep hermits. I have never seen these snails eat anything alive, only the pellet and frozen and flake that nobody else takes. They are also cool to watch at feeding time as they bury themselves alot and then roll out of the ground once the smell of food hits the water. This in fact is how my local fish store sold me on them (psst. hey buddy, you and your little girls want to see something cool, watch this... drops cyclopeeze into a tank... 10 seconds pass... snails roll out of the sand in droves (cool daddy! lets get some!)). Almost a pleasure to buy from such a good salesman (dare I say snailsman ugh). Its like "Night of the Living Dead" only in your tank (more brain). Also, they are very tollerant of temperature. I agree with that guy who said you can kill everything else with high temps and these guys will still be in your tank. In short, my experience with these snails is clear:

1) good scavangers, 2) good cleaners, 3) not aggressive, 4) temperature safe 5) good sand turners, 6) fun to show off to friends 7) good snack for hermits.

I don't wish to contradict somebody who has a degree higher than mine but I have to say the same as others, this Doctor must not keep these snails or he would know better.

Hope this helps, good luck.

[underseaworld]

I have purchased these from you back in the summer. If you recall I live in Phoenix area. They got mailed to my subdivision but the mail boxes are located outside in a comunity boxes. It was extremly hot that day and the snails died. I sent you an email to let you know what had happened and you sent out 100 more snails as long as I would pay for the shipping. These snails are doing great in my tank. They keep my tank glass fairly clean. I have not had them kill any of my live creatures. But I did drop a silver slide in the tank for my green tip and the green tip did not want it that day. It droped it and the snails were all over it. The temp in the tank is around 80 to 82 in summer. I can tell you that I have had no problems with my snails and the you were very professional about the delivery.

Originally Posted by LazyReef

This is where I disagree and I have a lot of success keeping them alive in my tank which is 77-80. I even keep 2 cold water Mercenaria mercenaria clams alive there and they are definitly cold water. I have had them for over two years in the back of the reef work. I expected someone would eat them, but they just keep on living. I find that these snails are more suceptible to getting eaten for food than others and you may find that a paticular fish is eating them in you tank, but they do not die due to temperature. This could be said about all snails (that they are food). I think we loose more snails due to fish eating them then we think. Especially if they don't right themselves quickly.

[Mako1329]

Are these snails still available? If so, please contact me with payment information.

thanks

[LazyReef]

Hi,
Sure. The price is $35 for 100 or $20 for 50. Shipping is USPS Express and is $13.65 additional. You can get up to 200 snails shipped for that price.

[Mako1329]

Originally Posted by LazyReef

Hi,
Sure. The price is $35 for 100 or $20 for 50. Shipping is USPS Express and is $13.65 additional. You can get up to 200 snails shipped for that price.

Are you no longer offering 50 for $25.00 shipped or 100 for $40.00 shipped?

[Mako1329]

Originally Posted by LazyReef

Hi,
Sure. The price is $35 for 100 or $20 for 50. Shipping is USPS Express and is $13.65 additional. You can get up to 200 snails shipped for that price.

Do you accept PayPal? If so, please provide e-mail addy; if not, please privide alternate payment method. I would like to complete the transaction ASAP.

thanks

[rob pringle]

I was also looking for info. on how to purchase the snails.
thank you
Rob

[LazyReef]

Hi,
You can go to my ebay store and buy them. Thanks.

http://stores.ebay.com/Coral-Reef-Aquarium

[twells]

I am interested in purchasing some of the Detritus Eating Reef Snails. My brother-in-law purchased some from you and has really recommended that we do the same. My name is T.Wells. PLease contact me at TWells@starusafcu.com

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.

Originally Posted by LazyReef

50 Algae Detritus eating Reef Snails


$25 includes shipping
100/$40
Ilyanassa snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta)
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

These are Full Grown harvested salt water snails, NOT small tank raised snails. They are always in stock, cleaned, quaranteened, and ready to ship every Monday & Tuesday.

They are classified by some as Nassarius obsoleta. They are great for cleaning sand beds, refugia, and sumps and keeping your tank glass clean. I have kept these snails in my reefs for years and use the sales to support my reef tank hobby. I am open to trade deals with other hobbyists

Arrive Alive Guarantee

I would reccomend that you keep 1-2 of these snails per gallon. These little snails cruise through the substrate like little moles. They like to eat the crap and detritus stuck in the substrate. In the process they turn your substrate over helping to keep it clean and helping to lower phosphates.


ARE YOU EMBRASSED BY YOUR AQUARIUM because the glass is always dirty when people POP by? You'll like them because of their great glass cleaning action. These snails clean you glass at night while the lights are out and no one is looking.


They clean your sand! Highly reccomended as a member of your cleaning crew. One of the most ideal scavenger and detritus eaters, these snails are perfect for the reef aquarium, quickly consuming detritus, uneaten food, decaying organics, and fish waste. They do not eat Caulerpa sp. and are perfect for a refugium or scrubber. I keep them throughout my system. I also sell Caulerpa prolifera with/life if you need some to for your refugia. Contact me for info.

Wild collected, cleaned, quaranteened and shipped by Marine Biologist with 15 years reef keeping experience. "I have used these in my reef for many years and highly reccomend them to keep your sand and glass clean." - Ken

Snails are shipped FREE in special breathable bags USPS PRIORTIY Mail at no cost to you! Heat Packs are never an adittional charge. I am a hobbyist, not a store.

[twells]

4/29/2005
I would like to purchase snails dwells10@charter.net or twells@starusafcu.com

Please contact me with information about purchasing.
THANK YOU!!

Originally Posted by LazyReef

50 Algae Detritus eating Reef Snails


$25 includes shipping
100/$40
Ilyanassa snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta)
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

These are Full Grown harvested salt water snails, NOT small tank raised snails. They are always in stock, cleaned, quaranteened, and ready to ship every Monday & Tuesday.

They are classified by some as Nassarius obsoleta. They are great for cleaning sand beds, refugia, and sumps and keeping your tank glass clean. I have kept these snails in my reefs for years and use the sales to support my reef tank hobby. I am open to trade deals with other hobbyists

Arrive Alive Guarantee

I would reccomend that you keep 1-2 of these snails per gallon. These little snails cruise through the substrate like little moles. They like to eat the crap and detritus stuck in the substrate. In the process they turn your substrate over helping to keep it clean and helping to lower phosphates.


ARE YOU EMBRASSED BY YOUR AQUARIUM because the glass is always dirty when people POP by? You'll like them because of their great glass cleaning action. These snails clean you glass at night while the lights are out and no one is looking.


They clean your sand! Highly reccomended as a member of your cleaning crew. One of the most ideal scavenger and detritus eaters, these snails are perfect for the reef aquarium, quickly consuming detritus, uneaten food, decaying organics, and fish waste. They do not eat Caulerpa sp. and are perfect for a refugium or scrubber. I keep them throughout my system. I also sell Caulerpa prolifera with/life if you need some to for your refugia. Contact me for info.

Wild collected, cleaned, quaranteened and shipped by Marine Biologist with 15 years reef keeping experience. "I have used these in my reef for many years and highly reccomend them to keep your sand and glass clean." - Ken

Snails are shipped FREE in special breathable bags USPS PRIORTIY Mail at no cost to you! Heat Packs are never an adittional charge. I am a hobbyist, not a store.

[b_stuart]

Do you still have any snails? Thanks!

Originally Posted by LazyReef

50 Algae Detritus eating Reef Snails


$25 includes shipping
100/$40
Ilyanassa snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta)
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

These are Full Grown harvested salt water snails, NOT small tank raised snails. They are always in stock, cleaned, quaranteened, and ready to ship every Monday & Tuesday.

They are classified by some as Nassarius obsoleta. They are great for cleaning sand beds, refugia, and sumps and keeping your tank glass clean. I have kept these snails in my reefs for years and use the sales to support my reef tank hobby. I am open to trade deals with other hobbyists

Arrive Alive Guarantee

I would reccomend that you keep 1-2 of these snails per gallon. These little snails cruise through the substrate like little moles. They like to eat the crap and detritus stuck in the substrate. In the process they turn your substrate over helping to keep it clean and helping to lower phosphates.


ARE YOU EMBRASSED BY YOUR AQUARIUM because the glass is always dirty when people POP by? You'll like them because of their great glass cleaning action. These snails clean you glass at night while the lights are out and no one is looking.


They clean your sand! Highly reccomended as a member of your cleaning crew. One of the most ideal scavenger and detritus eaters, these snails are perfect for the reef aquarium, quickly consuming detritus, uneaten food, decaying organics, and fish waste. They do not eat Caulerpa sp. and are perfect for a refugium or scrubber. I keep them throughout my system. I also sell Caulerpa prolifera with/life if you need some to for your refugia. Contact me for info.

Wild collected, cleaned, quaranteened and shipped by Marine Biologist with 15 years reef keeping experience. "I have used these in my reef for many years and highly reccomend them to keep your sand and glass clean." - Ken

Snails are shipped FREE in special breathable bags USPS PRIORTIY Mail at no cost to you! Heat Packs are never an adittional charge. I am a hobbyist, not a store.

[LazyReef]

Hi,
I am no longer in the snail business although I continue to use them. They are very cheap now on eBay and not worth my while to collect.

[thumb]

Hello Ken,
What a great thread! As you have said time and again the owners of these snails are almost always very satisfied and I also have seen first hand and in many of his works Dr. Ron steps way over the line in stating what will happen in a reef tank by how the animal is found in nature. But one thing is for sure it has it has given him a huge following by the "I read it so it must be true" folks.
Any one who reads up on this snail can also plainly see because of its plankton stage all it takes is one good predator to keep it out of a region. Or of coarse there is countless other factors involved. Yet Dr Ron has deceided it is the temp.
The fact that this snail is found in tropical mangrove swamps in Florida and in tropical areas of East Africa does not seem to change his stance even though it is clear his calls are causing more harm in aquaria circles than good. Does this have anything to do with Dr Ron being a diver and has not shown any interest in swamps and lagoons?
Who has found that a marine animal, fish etc. that is found in one temp. will not do well if not better in any other temp when it is being moved to the reef tank? I do not think it is Dr Ron, he does not have any personal reef tanks. ( or so he told me in person 10/05) Also as far as I know Dr Ron has not published any thing about how marine snails have adapted to living in a reef tank, yet now he is becoming the last word.
Dr Ron has stated many times that a great deal of invertebrates are not suitable for reef tanks because cheap hard shell snails to feed them is not available. Yet when confronted with this tremendous benefit of the Ilyanassa obsoleta he refuses to comment. (also great puffer food guys)
It is like Ninong using the Premium Aquatics story. Premium Aquatics replaced the I. obsoleta with N. vibex because Premium Aquatics sold them as N. vibex. Now it is told as if it is because I. obsoleta is not a reef tank snail. The story can be safely misused like this because most big snail sellers want nothing to do with I. obsoleta, 1 reason is there is little or no profit in it.
I hope more people realize reef keeping is a new frontier and there is many more opinons than facts and that many of these these opinons are being stated as facts. I have a brother and a sister inlaw that both are marine biology professors. They know less than a person with a month of experence owning a reef tank about having and maintaining a reef tank. Most of the books my brother studied to get his Phd were written before scuba diving and my brother is 20 years youger than Dr Ron!
We have just begain to know to keep reef aquariums and to observe the effect of water chemistry and or temerature. Very few books are in print that make use of this raw new data. Even though the best years of this new break thru in marine animal keeping( the last ten years) Dr Ron has not had his own reef tank he has become the guru of reef tank animals.

[Ninong]

For whatever reason, thumb has decided to dig up five very old threads that discuss Ilyanassa obsoleta snails. Some of the threads he has posted to go back to July 2001 so his comments can't be taken as a serious attempt to offer timely advice. His comments about Dr. Ron Shimek seem to me to be a gross exaggeration of the facts.

Dr. Shimek wrote an article several years ago recommending Nassarius vibex snails as a good choice for people who choose to have deep sand beds in their reef aquaria. These snails are carrion eaters and because they burrow in the top layer of the sand bed, they provide beneficial bioturbation of the substrate.

Some hobbyists have asked Dr. Ron if the related species, Ilyanassa obsoleta, would be a good substitute for N. vibex and Dr. Ron has offered his professional advice that I. obsoleta is not a good choice.

Here is a typical response from Dr. Ron to someone asking this question:

Well, Ilyanassa obsoleta are not Nassarius, but close relatives.

They are partially predatory unlike true Nassarius, and they normally live at lower than reef temperatures. When placed in a reef tank their life span is dramatically lowered as they basically are running at about 180% to 200% of their normal metabolic rate.

Secondly, they may well attack sessile animals if not well fed.

Thirdly, in a number of areas these high intertidal animals are vectors for a number of flukes that parasitize birds. The fluke intermediate life stages will infect the snails, and then exit them "en masse" when they reach the end of that life stage. It is quite likely that if you have your hands in the tank at those times you will get an aquarium version of "swimmer's itch."

The parasite stages will not survive in your or your other aquarium animals, nonetheless they may well burrow into the skin of fish or yourself.

They are a cheap alternative to an animal that is already inexpensive. Tossing them into an reef aquarium is deterimental to them, and may be detrimental to the aquarium in general.

I'll add this for your consideration: Ilyanassa obsoleta is the natural host for at least 9 different species of detrimental trematodes. Studies indicate that more than half of the adult snails will contain these parasites.

[aaron23]

they usually die off in reef tanks. they are not recommended. though i have some they are doing fine at 78.5 degrees. they die off very easily and are not stable. Will easily cause dieoff.

[johnsmith678]

Taxonomy: Margarita Snail belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda, Family Trochacea, Genus Margarites and Species pupillus. Scientific names: The scientific name of Margarita Snail is Margarites pupillus. Another important point to make is that the animals continually grow and as they grow the need more room, supplements lighting and water movement. The fight for space in a little glass box is certainly a reality and one that continues to be my biggest challenge in my 4 1/2-year-old reef. I pay close attention to my animals.
------------------------------
johnsmith

Aquarium supplies

[Ninong]

Hi johnsmith678,




I'm confused by your post in this thread. Did you realize that this thread is entirely about Ilyanassa obsoleta?

I'm trying to deal with nonsense about people selling I. obsoleta in this thead, I don't need the added headache of having to dead with the nonsense of people advocating Margarites pupillus for reef tanks. We covered that nonsense in this thread.