What type of....whelk?

[Tamberav]

Had this guy for years.  Forgot where he came from...I think with some other snails. I have had clams in his tank many a time without issue and have 3 currently for almost a month now.

 

Perhaps he just snacks in snails?

 

Not sure if we can nail down exactly what type of snail he is and what he eats?

 

I don't know why I am feeling so curious about him after many years. I suppose this could be why my Euplica scripta numbers are not exploding. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WV Reefer]

http://www.melevsreef.com/articles/whelk-versus-nassarius

 

https://reefs.com/2011/07/19/beware-the-whelk/

 

 

 

[Tamberav]

6 hours ago, WV Reefer said:

http://www.melevsreef.com/articles/whelk-versus-nassarius

 

https://reefs.com/2011/07/19/beware-the-whelk/

 

 

 

I will have to try to take a closer look at his eyeballs but he is shy. Maybe I will try to feed him. 

 

I have had him 5 years so we are buds now 😛 He gets to stay but maybe in the SPS tank that doesn't have clams even though this guy has lived with clams. I don't lose snails particularly fast either so I am curious what he is eating. Maybe my Euplica scripta? Or I have a ton of baby collinista which are probably tastey bite-size snacks. Worms? It's a mystery.

 

I knew I had one more small one which I saw on the glass today so caught him too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RayWhisperer]

Shell and foot both look like a whelk. Look for an operculum on the back side. If it looks like the ones a nassarius snail sports, its definitely a whelk. 

 

Something I dont really like about that melvs article.... Nassarius snails are a type of whelk. 

[Tamberav]

8 hours ago, RayWhisperer said:

Shell and foot both look like a whelk. Look for an operculum on the back side. If it looks like the ones a nassarius snail sports, its definitely a whelk. 

 

Something I dont really like about that melvs article.... Nassarius snails are a type of whelk. 

 

I don't have any nass snails to compare to 😛

 

Nothing noticeable has gone missing in the years I have had them. I'm guessing they munching on snails or micro-fauna/worms or something? 

 

 

 

[johnmaloney]

Ridged Cantharus and the Wavy Goblet, (also a Cantharus species) look similar. The latter I think is closer looking the former more common.  What do you think he looks like under the algae? Those species are usually distinguished by their whorls. 

[Tamberav]

On 12/21/2018 at 10:12 AM, johnmaloney said:

Ridged Cantharus and the Wavy Goblet, (also a Cantharus species) look similar. The latter I think is closer looking the former more common.  What do you think he looks like under the algae? Those species are usually distinguished by their whorls. 

I will try to clean the shell after holidays. I put the little welk in with the big welk and the big one ate the little one 😮 So we know what it eats. I guess I always keep a steady stock of snails and my clams close up tight, probably wasn't worth his effort to mess with the clams.  

 

This welk seems good for business, maybe every tank needs one 😉 

 

 

[johnmaloney]

Weird how many snails are predatory isn’t it? Most are. Wouldn’t consider such animals as hunters if I didnt know. 

[johnmaloney]

On 12/21/2018 at 3:59 AM, Tamberav said:

 

I don't have any nass snails to compare to 😛

 

Nothing noticeable has gone missing in the years I have had them. I'm guessing they munching on snails or micro-fauna/worms or something? 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an Elegant Goblet:

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_51130.shtml

 

[Tamberav]

This one has a different looking nose or what not lol but can see shell clearly.

[johnmaloney]

Somewhere in that family I think, here is one that is encrusted:

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=image&tid=217065&pic=52339