How long do snails and crabs live? (1 Viewer)

[aqua-nut]

My tank water parameters are excellent, lighting is strong, corals and fish are happy, and everything gets fed well, but ...

My blue leg hermit crabs and a bunch of my snails died off after less than a year. Why?

And while we're on the subject of small critter lifespans, how long should a chocolate chip star live and what about coral banded shrimps? What are their captive lifespans in realistic terms?

 

[ChrisB]

My snails and some crabs seem to get eaten more than anything. Guess some of my crabs love escargot!!

 

[dillo]

I've had a couple of hermit crabs in my tank for about 4 years now. I also have 4 giant turbo snails in my tank which I've had almost a year and they show no sign of slowing down. They've just about outgrown my tank.

 

[Guest]

I had a lightning whelk and a murex snail that I got from the coast when I was in HS over 10 years ago and they lived for about 5 years each...

 

[Kabuto]

Depends. Low levels of copper? Maybe brass fittings somewhere? What snails? Margarita snails are a colder water snail and don't like warmer water. Of course something could be eating them. Low calcium? Just a few things. Dr. Ron wrote a couple of articles on Reefkeeping about snails last year.