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Madfronter · 11/19/2008, 09:24 AM

I bought this snail about a 9 months ago and had forgotten about it until I saw it for the first time since moving my set up. I am a little concerned that it might be a whelk snail and not an actual conch snail. I'll try to post a picture of it later tonight after work. I am thinking about putting it in my sump. My sump currently had about 15lbs of live rock in it but no light other than diffused light from the room and tank. Think it would be ok in there. I am just concerned that it might start to eat my other snails or something else. The snail is about 4".

cloak · 11/19/2008, 11:49 AM

Here's a good article. Might help you out with an id.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rs/index.php

Madfronter · 11/19/2008, 12:34 PM

Thanks cloak! I read over that article earlier today. Thanks for posting it. I am thinking its a whelk. Will put it in my sump tonight after work. I'll take some pictures as well.

Madfronter · 11/19/2008, 06:48 PM

So I got home a couple hours ago and went directly to the tank to check out this snail. I found it with another snail in its foot. It looks like it was in the process of eating the snail but I got to it in time to save it. I put it in my sump and fed it some mysis shrimp. Here's some pics. I also picked up an orange montipora frag on my way home.

pagojoe · 11/19/2008, 09:52 PM

I was waiting for your photo, but expected a different snail. Looking at the pic, there is a slim chance that it is a ranellid, but I'm pretty sure it's a species in the family Bursidae, or Frog Shells. (Pics taken from an up-the-nose or down-the-spire perspective aren't as useful in ID'ing snails as those showing the length to width ratio and apertural characteristics). If you want to flip it over and take a pic showing the aperture, I can tell you which species it is.

It looks like Bursa granularis, but four inches would be huge for that species. If it's that species, the shell will be somewhat flattened rather than round (can't really tell in your pics). It's more likely Bursa (Tutufa) rubeta, which grows a bit larger than that, and has a bright red or orange aperture with a columellar shield and lighter colored teeth. If it looks like that species but has a white or pale aperture, it is probably a juvenile Giant Frog Shell, Bursa (Tutufa) bubo.

http://www.gastropods.com/3/Shell_343.html
http://www.gastropods.com/5/Shell_345.html
http://www.gastropods.com/6/Shell_16.html

Here's a little info on their feeding preferences, but you may be able to search the net and find some additional info:

http://www.geocities.com/tonnoidean/bursidae.html

It essentially says they mostly eat worms and may feed on echinoderms.

Cheers,

Don

Madfronter · 11/20/2008, 08:10 AM

Hey pagojoe, thanks for the information. I would have to agree with you, it does look very similar to the Bursa granularis. I will take some more pictures tonight for you. I have tons of worms in my tank so hopefully it was mostly eating them. A few weeks ago my bristle worms had a crazy spawning in my tank for about 20 minutes. It was kinda gross seeing my algae blenny happily open his mouth right in front of one of the worms butts to eat the sperm or eggs it was expelling, but such is life in the sea.

11/19/2008, 09:24 AM	#1
Madfronter Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: PA Posts: 284	Who are you... I bought this snail about a 9 months ago and had forgotten about it until I saw it for the first time since moving my set up. I am a little concerned that it might be a whelk snail and not an actual conch snail. I'll try to post a picture of it later tonight after work. I am thinking about putting it in my sump. My sump currently had about 15lbs of live rock in it but no light other than diffused light from the room and tank. Think it would be ok in there. I am just concerned that it might start to eat my other snails or something else. The snail is about 4".

11/19/2008, 09:52 PM	#5
pagojoe Team RC Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 2,761	I was waiting for your photo, but expected a different snail. Looking at the pic, there is a slim chance that it is a ranellid, but I'm pretty sure it's a species in the family Bursidae, or Frog Shells. (Pics taken from an up-the-nose or down-the-spire perspective aren't as useful in ID'ing snails as those showing the length to width ratio and apertural characteristics). If you want to flip it over and take a pic showing the aperture, I can tell you which species it is. It looks like Bursa granularis, but four inches would be huge for that species. If it's that species, the shell will be somewhat flattened rather than round (can't really tell in your pics). It's more likely Bursa (Tutufa) rubeta, which grows a bit larger than that, and has a bright red or orange aperture with a columellar shield and lighter colored teeth. If it looks like that species but has a white or pale aperture, it is probably a juvenile Giant Frog Shell, Bursa (Tutufa) bubo. http://www.gastropods.com/3/Shell_343.html http://www.gastropods.com/5/Shell_345.html http://www.gastropods.com/6/Shell_16.html Here's a little info on their feeding preferences, but you may be able to search the net and find some additional info: http://www.geocities.com/tonnoidean/bursidae.html It essentially says they mostly eat worms and may feed on echinoderms. Cheers, Don Last edited by pagojoe; 11/19/2008 at 09:59 PM.

11/19/2008, 11:49 AM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Here's a good article. Might help you out with an id. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rs/index.php

11/19/2008, 12:34 PM	#3
Madfronter Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: PA Posts: 284	Thanks cloak! I read over that article earlier today. Thanks for posting it. I am thinking its a whelk. Will put it in my sump tonight after work. I'll take some pictures as well.

11/19/2008, 06:48 PM	#4
Madfronter Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: PA Posts: 284	So I got home a couple hours ago and went directly to the tank to check out this snail. I found it with another snail in its foot. It looks like it was in the process of eating the snail but I got to it in time to save it. I put it in my sump and fed it some mysis shrimp. Here's some pics. I also picked up an orange montipora frag on my way home.

11/20/2008, 08:10 AM	#6
Madfronter Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: PA Posts: 284	Hey pagojoe, thanks for the information. I would have to agree with you, it does look very similar to the Bursa granularis. I will take some more pictures tonight for you. I have tons of worms in my tank so hopefully it was mostly eating them. A few weeks ago my bristle worms had a crazy spawning in my tank for about 20 minutes. It was kinda gross seeing my algae blenny happily open his mouth right in front of one of the worms butts to eat the sperm or eggs it was expelling, but such is life in the sea.