Falling Snails

I have about 10 Snails and one Royal sea urchin that from time to time falling off the rock and landing on their backs. I notice they can't get up unless there is help from me. Should I leave them alone or help them up on their feet!!

BTW, I have: [SUB]72 G bow front, 50 pound of sands, 70 pound of live rock, heater, power head, protein skimmer, filter system (flu 305), 10 snails, one sea urchin, 3 starfish (Black brittle, rRed formia, Red serpent), 2 samseles, 1 yellow tang, 1 strip pseudochromis, 1 fire fish, 2 cleaner shrimps, one clown fish, 2 feather dusters, 3 anemones, and a mushroom colony.[/SUB] I had these over 10 days now and seemingly happy bunch with very good quality water so far. Changed the water twice ( 10%) and clean the filters very often.

 

Arash
they will not get up unless you help them IME

Steve

 

What kind of snails are we talking about?

My Nerites, for example, have taken up to 3 days before they manage to right themselves... I just leave them be... there is no one in the ocean to do this for them...

My Limpets never self right and do require assistance.

 

I flip mine back over so the fish don't harrass them. I use my proscraper to move them to the wall and they do the rest themselves.

 

I believe a lot of snails should be able to right themselves unless they fall in a very awkward situation. They can stretch pretty far out of their shells I've found. Some are notorious for getting trapped on their backs, like Astrea I believe. My ceriths, trochus and turbos don't have a problem though. It can take them a while to figure out how to get flipped over though, so if I see one flipped over and looks like he's having trouble sometimes I'll help him out.

 

As to the question about the snails... certain snails such as astraea are unable to right themselves back over (believe this is due to the location which they come from... mid pacific coast around california i do believe where rock is more flat than the typical aquarium reef). Royal sea urchins on the other hand are not known for falling over, and are usually pretty agile in moving around without a problem (occasionally picking up snails and other fragments and tossing them on their spines). Sea urchins are also excellent indicators of your water quality as they typically do not survive long in poor water conditions.
Aside from that, I noticed that your tank is pretty heavily stocked for someone who has only done 2 water changes, and you say that you have only had all this for 10 days. My only question is, what are you doing putting 3 anemones in a tank that young, as well as all that other stuff. If you have put all those inhabitants in there within the past 10 days you can guarantee a bad bad ammonia/nitrite spike, likely killing off all of them.

 

2B honest, I had read about problems associated with over stocking. However, I was told that the fish have the hightest effects on bioloads. I have checked the water every day and so far no signs of ammonia/nitrite. Is it too soon? or the beginner luck I have a well cycled tank ? Additionally would't these cleaner crew take care of these sort of problems?
Regards, Arash