ID on this spiky snail and is it trying to eat my clam?!

[SteinsFish]

Hi all,

 

I had this snail for awhile now but didn't think much of it other than an algae eater, since it has been mostly on the glass and rocks. But today I found it sticking to the clam with my cleaner shrimp picking at the clam's mouth/opening.

 

After I removed them off the clam, it managed to close up.

 

Are they trying to eat my clam or did I overreact?

[Tamberav]

My worry would be that the clam is staring to die and that may be why your cleaner/snail was on it. I am unsure about the snail, but the fact the cleaner shrimp was picking at it too makes me worry. Hopefully the snail was just after algae and got lodged there and the shrimp is just a jerk taking advantage. My understanding is cleaner shrimp only attack unhealthy clams though.

[SteinsFish]

I hope the clam is not dying, I like it a lot. My shrimp is a jerk and keep picking at it during lights out.

 

As for the snail, its been in my tank for a long time, its tough but not very active. Would like to get an ID on it.

[Ibuyen]

I heard you shouldn't expose clams to air, creates air pockets in them, leading to death.

[Tamberav]

I heard you shouldn't expose clams to air, creates air pockets in them, leading to death.

 

One of those myths that circulates. Mother nature says otherwise... she also needs to do a water change

 

[SteinsFish]

My chromis died sometime yesterday and when I came home from work, I found this spiky shell snail has latched onto the chromis's body and eating it.

 

What snail is this?? Obviously not just a herbivore!

[patback]

one of the many species of whelks. i had one hitchike in on a healthy clam.

[SteinsFish]

Thanks Pat!

 

That's a good call, I looked it up online and on wikipedia, there is a genus of predatory whelks found in Australia/New Zealand called Cabestana. That explains the meat eating behaviour.

 

I wonder if its a threat to my other livestock since it's not that big.

[patback]

whelks typically wont discriminate. if there is meat, it will eat. that includes fleshy coral, clams, snails, and any fish you may have that sleep or burrow in sand.