Turbo snails Vs Trochus snails

[Thanh3k]

both look relatively similar, i was just wondering which one would be better to buy to clean up the algae in my sump/fuge. Or are both equally as good?
thnx

[ATJ]

Actually, Turbo spp. snails are quite different from Trochus spp. and most Trochus grow much larger than Turbo. Two of my Trochus are nearly 10 cm high!

Here is a Turbo sp.:



And here is a Trochus sp.:



If you can, it would be good to have a mix, but Turbo on their own will do a good job and if you get a few they will breed.

[Thanh3k]

thnx ATJ as usual you are a wealth of information.... ok a mix it is

[spoonhandler]

I've also found both do a good job, but on the down side, my Trochus is now so big, it causes a bit of havoc as it roams around - knocks things over, etc. Very fast growing. They're also a bit noisy - they make a scraping sound on the glass by rotating their shells back and forth, usually when they think they're under attack (other snails, hermit crabs, etc), but possibly also to loosen stubborn algae (not sure about this, but I've seen them do it when nothing is nearby to bother them).

[mgpro]

i got some turbo snails from someone at a MASS meeting last year and now i have hundreds of snails. they breed very fast and must be finding enough to eat. at night if i turn a room light on the front glass is covered in them, though during the day you can only see several dozens.
mgpro

[Garbo]

My snail always die on me. I have a crushed marble base and the smaller snails can't move across it so they flip upside down and die if i don't right them.

I think the bigger the better, they are more productive.