Why Your Saltwater Aquarium Needs Nassarius Vibex Snails
Nobody likes an aquarium full of algae and debris, and this means that a clean up crew of inverts and fish is a must for any hobbyist. From crabs and shrimps, to fish and weird looking slugs, the range of saltwater aquarium cleaners is a little bit overwhelming!
Snails are one of the great ways of keeping your tank clean, and today we will be talking about the nassarius vibex snail. A cool name for a very cool snail!
Nassarius Vibex Snails Love Food
Unlike other snails, the nassarius vibex snail doesn’t eat algae. So, if you are having issues with algae you should look at other options when wanting to keep your tank clean and healthy.
However, this snail will eat everything else. The nassarius vibex snail is a scavenger type snail and will eat all the dead fish that might be leftover in your tank. It will spend its time looking out for anything it might be able to eat and also feeds off waste and fish excrement. Well, somebody has to.
This snail is brilliant to keep your saltwater aquarium clean of debris. As they reduce the amount of waste in the tank, your nitrate levels will be easier to maintain.
They don’t eat anything that is living, so this means that you won’t be worried about them suddenly chomping down on your prized fish!
They Are Sand Sifters
Nassarius vibex snails don’t just eat the bits and pieces that are floating around the tank, but also will sift through the sand for any debris to eat. This keeps the sand clean.
Because of their behavior, they aerate the sand. Doing this means the substrate stays healthy and viable for longer. Bacteria will be healthy and the tank will have great circulation, with oxygen levels in the sand perfect.
They Only Emerge For Food
They don’t need sand, but it is advisable as they like to spend most of their time buried. Mud can also be used as a substrate for nassarius vibex snails. In tanks without substrate, they can survive and thrive sometimes, but make sure you have enough rockery and dark places for them to hide under. However, it is really not advised as they can get stressed without being able to bury themselves.
But, just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean that they aren’t aware of what is going on in the aquarium! When they sense dead organic matter, their siphon will emerge from the sand and scout out where their food is.
The snails siphon is a long periscope type thing which they use to breathe and smell. These snails move surprisingly fast when they know food is about, emerging from the sand quickly and rapidly moving around the aquarium.
When they have finished their food, they will go back into the sand and wait for their next meal. Sounds like a great life, right?
Nassarius Vibex Snails Aren’t Very Big
If you have just started out keeping saltwater aquariums, these snails are a great addition to your first tank.
Firstly, this is because they aren’t that big so you don’t need a massive set up to keep them happy. They grow to about half an inch in size, their shell about the size of an olive pit. Because of this, they can be kept happy in smaller aquariums.
We recommend two nassarius vibex snails per gallon to make sure they can keep on top of all the cleaning and eating that they have to do!
However, you must make sure there is enough meaty debris for your snails to eat so they don’t starve.
They Are Easy To Care For
Another reason why these snails are great for beginners and novices alike is that they don’t demand much of your time and energy.
These snails are really hardy and can withstand a broad range of temperatures and salinity. In the wild they can be found in polluted areas, showing that they can really survive anything!
A temperature around 24℃ is perfect for them, but don’t stress too much about this. The most important thing is that they have enough to eat.
They Are Also Pretty Peaceful
Nassarius vibex snails generally keep to themselves, only emerging to eat the debris and dead fish that other aquarium dwellers leave behind. However, if they are running out of food there have been reports that they will go after living creatures, mainly other snails.
Because of this, they should be kept in an aquarium with a messy eater! Think about what fish you have and who makes the biggest mess. Seahorses and predatory fish are amazing animals but do create a lot of debris. So, these are perfect to be homed with the nassarius vibex snails!
Final Thoughts
When we have saltwater aquariums, keeping the environment as close to nature as possible is a great way of making sure all your creatures are happy. A great way of doing this is introducing animals that help out the environment and each other.
In adding nassarius vibex snails to your aquarium, you are developing and maintaining your own little ecosystem. These snails help the aquarium stay healthy and help you by doing all the cleaning work..
The snails we offer are healthy, happy, and ready to help out! Go ahead, get yourself some new little cleaning friends to keep you and your saltwater aquarium in the best spirits!
