What kind of snails r these? R They BAD?

[Sahin]

OK, these snails are growing up rather quickly. In the two months that the tank was setup, they have doubled in size.

They must have came with the LR.

 

The biggest one is just larger than 1cm now. The WIERDEST thing about them is that I have seen them SPIN SPIDER WEBS (or snail webs? ) to sometimes come down from the powerheads, instead of snailing down like normal.

 

I have also seen a few baby ones as well just a few days ago.

 

I'd be grateful if anyone can ID them for me, I thought they look like baby conches or something like that.

[Sahin]

Next.

[Sahin]

Another piccie.

[Sahin]

Sorry about the pic quality--was in a hurry to get the pics--didnt bother messing with camera settings.

[fishymissy]

If you find out, let me know too....I have several of these. They don't seem to harm anything and they're good scavengers.

[Sahin]

Well, here is a good closeup picture.

[Dave ESPI]

not fer sure exactly, but perhaps a Strombus, Trochus sub species, or a fighting congh.

[glazer]

It's quite possible I may be talking out my @ss here...lol

 

Buuuut, they look like coneshells to me... I had some several years back in a LARGE reef tank so did some research. There are apparently thousands of different species of them... and all of them are venomous to a certain degree. Some deadly enough to kill humans. They hunt small fish.... thus the venom. They have modified radula.. (tooth) that injects the venom. Kinda like a one-fanged snake.

 

Anyway, I could be wrong, but do a search (I am too lazy,hehe) for coneshells and you should come up with more info and pictures.

[OscarBeast]

The do look like a type of whelk... Most are predatory to some degree. If they don't bother anything alive, then they should make great scavengers.

 

I would go ask Dr. Ron over at RC. He should be able to tell you what they are. You will have to make them close up so you can get a shot of the little "door" though.

[NanoReefer53]

looks like a color morph of strombus

 

ask Dr.Ron , he's really good at identifying snails. He identified succesfully this one snail that i found. It was crazy, it had a shiny purple shell and when awake, its skin would wrap around the shell and the skin would be purple with little white feather sticking out here and there. Reason: to camoflauge in with its host gorgonian.

 

P.S- u gotta teach me how to make those amazing shots with Canon digi cams

[astromatt]

Im not sure exactly what this snail is, But Its not a cone shell. It is also likely to be either scavenger or a predator. You can tell this as the shell has a siphonal canal (A groove in the shell through which the siphon passes, the siphon being the single thick fleshy projection coming out the front of the shell).

 

As a general rule herbivorous snails ie. astrea sp. and Turbo sp. do not have a siphonal canal (and hence take water in for respiration from underneath the shell), wheras carnivorous and scavenging snails do. This is an adaptation so that the carnovorous snails can still breath by extending the siphon through the canal when the shell is clamped down on its victim while feeding.

 

One exception to this rule is that most snails which live on sand have a siphonal canal so that the snail can intake water from above the bottom rather than sucking it from under the shell and getting sand mixed in the water, which then has to go through the snails gills etc.

 

I think everything Ive said is correct, but if anyone wants to offer any criticism, go ahead!

 

Matt

[Dave ESPI]

Astromatt came out of the closet to say:

Im not sure exactly what this snail is, But Its not a cone shell. It is also likely to be either scavenger or a predator.

I think everything Ive said is correct, but if anyone wants to offer any criticism, go ahead!

 

Matt

 

 

Nice first post.... I cant criticize as your post makes complete sense, but I think the scavenger / predator conclusion merits a good laugh !

Congats, U made me laugh !