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06/28/2017, 07:04 AM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 174
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[ID]Found this snail attacking my starfish.
It had an orange hook shaped thing coming out and going into the snail when I saw it attached this morning. I removed it, the snail had a good size chunk missing from where the snail was attached, but is still alive.
Anyone know what kind of snail this might have been? The starfish has been in the tank for about 3 months now, so presuming this snail was a random hitchhiker that finally bumped into the starfish. I'll upload the photo in an hour or so, no time this morning. For all I know there's a well known star fish attacking snail which everyone will point out. My Google fu returned only much, much larger snails, this thing was about the size of a pencil eraser, bit smaller. No real coloration, and if it were in a freshwater tank, I'd say it's a pond snail. By the time I took the photo, it had retracted the orange hook that was stuck into the starfish.   
Last edited by alcimedes; 06/28/2017 at 07:26 AM. |
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06/28/2017, 09:09 AM
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#2 |
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RC Mod
 
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If it is a nassarius type, while the nassarius is generally ok with everything, some of its relatives are not. I'd be rid of that snail, just in case.
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Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. |
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06/28/2017, 10:26 AM
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#3 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 174
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Quote:
I was able to grab a shot of the starfish, anyone know if it's likely to recover? It's moving around just fine as of now.  I think I was half asleep earlier when I posted this thread. In that first post, I meant the SNAIL had an orange hook going into the STARFISH. After removing the SNAIL, the STARFISH had a good size chunk missing. (above photo) That's what happens when you type before coffee. Last edited by alcimedes; 06/28/2017 at 11:11 AM. |
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06/28/2017, 03:23 PM
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#4 |
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RC Mod
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A starfish can survive if its mouth is intact. I'm not sure from that photo. I should also caution you that in general starfish are not safe reef dwellers.
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Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. |
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06/28/2017, 03:33 PM
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#5 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 174
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Thanks for the heads up. So far this starfish hasn't seemed to be bothering anything, but i realize that can change in a heartbeat. It's always interesting to get advice from your LFS, then you find out later that the bulk of reef keepers have a different opinion.
I was told it was reef safe, but I think I'll see about keeping a closer eye on it going forward. Thankfully the hole is on the top side, so maybe it will still recover. I believe this one is a Fromia sp. |
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06/28/2017, 08:16 PM
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#6 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: denver
Posts: 493
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Looks and sounds like a whelk. Predatory snail that bores into its prey. Often seen on menus or sushi
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06/29/2017, 10:15 AM
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#7 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Stockton, CA
Posts: 109
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06/29/2017, 11:01 AM
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#8 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: NM
Posts: 523
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If you start seeing string like things coming from out of the starfish wound, then it will slowly continue to deteriorate from that point on.
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Get a life! Current Tank Info: 20gL mixed reef, 10g mixed reef w/nem & clown, 5g NPS & harlequin |
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06/29/2017, 11:05 AM
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#9 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 174
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