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flamingo tongue


creatureteacher
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From the category:

Snails

· 38 images
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I used to snorkel in Puerto Rico a lot and you would often see them in gorgonians and fan corals. Last time I went only spotted two in 6 hours. I think they are being collected for the pet trade. They will not survive in 99% of the tanks.

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I live in Puerto Rico and they are not collected for the trade. Some people collect them because of the colors of the shell but when it is in stress the mantle with the colors will retract and the shell is just white. The flamingo tonge diet is gorgonians. Without them it will die and with them your gorgonian will not last long. That is why it is not collected for the aquarium trade.

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I'm from Aguadilla and I did spent a lot of time in Isabela and Cabo Rojo snorkeling and there not as common as they used to be. Whether or not for the trade,something is going on, believe me people will collect and try to sell anything rare enough and it will sell. I've seen sea lilies (feather stars) going for forty bucks. So far only one guy in N-R has been able to care for it. Just saying!

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creatureteacher

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This is a photo taken in the Cayman Islands, so it is indeed, in the wild. I would not put one in my tank or recommend that anyone do so as they have specific food requirements, namely gorgonian polyps. These are a cowry snail with a white shell. The mantle is the colorful part. They are very common in the areas I see them throughout the Caribbean, but many of your comments seem to indicate that they are on the decline, however I have not seen this. Some Florida collectors still sell them ($1.00 ea or so) but most aquarists are educated enough to make this a tough sell.

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