Nassarius snails

Treef · 06/17/2007, 09:10 PM

When i checked on my tank this afternoon I found my nassarius snail eating one of my peppermint shrimps. Is it normal for these snails to go after live prey, when i researched it i only read that it eats leftover foods, and were great for cleaning the sand. I know that the shrimp wasnt dead before the snail started eating it because when i pulled the snail off the shrimp sortve feebily swam away before settling on the sand. Im kind of worried about my other peppermint now. Also i think the shrimp might have molted recently because i also pulled out a shell.

Treef · 06/17/2007, 09:12 PM

Another thing, underneath the dead peppermint there are these tiny bubbles with black spots, could those be eggs?

bertoni · 06/17/2007, 09:40 PM

The shrimp might have been dying, as one possibility. How much food are the Nassarius getting.

I think N vibex typically deposit their eggs on the tank wall. They are whitish threads, more or less. The bubbles might be some other sort of egg, though.

techreef · 06/18/2007, 10:52 AM

pep's carry their eggs underneath their tails. if you mean spots up on the body or head, I've heard that shrimp sometimes get some sort of fungus or disease that is usually fatal that looks like dark spots underneath their shell. hard to tell what you meant in your post, but those are the options I can think of.

nass snails typically eat carrion but will apparently attack weakened critters in the tank that aren't quite dead yet if the nass snails are hungry enough. remember to try and feed everything in your tank, or stuff will feed itself.

Sepeku · 06/18/2007, 10:58 AM

Yah, I've seen my my nassarius go after everything that isn't moving as quickly as it should.

Generally I take it as a queue that something serious is wrong and requires intervention.

sufunk · 06/18/2007, 11:05 AM

Any peppermint shrimp that gets caught and eaten by a nassarius snail has some SERIOUS health issues, imo.

kevin2000 · 06/18/2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sufunk
Any peppermint shrimp that gets caught and eaten by a nassarius snail has some SERIOUS health issues, imo.

Amen!

bertoni · 06/18/2007, 01:07 PM

Oh, I think I misunderstood. Were the egg-like things on the peppermint?

It's also possible that the snails aren't truly Nassarius. Mislabeled snails are fairly common.

Beanfish · 06/18/2007, 01:24 PM

I would find it very hard to believe that your Nas snails killed the Peppermint Shrimp. I had both and they got along fine until my puffer ate the shrimp!

06/17/2007, 09:10 PM	#1
Treef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 70	Nassarius snails When i checked on my tank this afternoon I found my nassarius snail eating one of my peppermint shrimps. Is it normal for these snails to go after live prey, when i researched it i only read that it eats leftover foods, and were great for cleaning the sand. I know that the shrimp wasnt dead before the snail started eating it because when i pulled the snail off the shrimp sortve feebily swam away before settling on the sand. Im kind of worried about my other peppermint now. Also i think the shrimp might have molted recently because i also pulled out a shell.

06/17/2007, 09:12 PM	#2
Treef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 70	Another thing, underneath the dead peppermint there are these tiny bubbles with black spots, could those be eggs? __________________ My hands smell like algae... Current Tank Info: 20G mixed reef

06/17/2007, 09:40 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The shrimp might have been dying, as one possibility. How much food are the Nassarius getting. I think N vibex typically deposit their eggs on the tank wall. They are whitish threads, more or less. The bubbles might be some other sort of egg, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/18/2007, 01:07 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Oh, I think I misunderstood. Were the egg-like things on the peppermint? It's also possible that the snails aren't truly Nassarius. Mislabeled snails are fairly common. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/18/2007, 10:52 AM	#4
techreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montclair, NJ Posts: 1,046	pep's carry their eggs underneath their tails. if you mean spots up on the body or head, I've heard that shrimp sometimes get some sort of fungus or disease that is usually fatal that looks like dark spots underneath their shell. hard to tell what you meant in your post, but those are the options I can think of. nass snails typically eat carrion but will apparently attack weakened critters in the tank that aren't quite dead yet if the nass snails are hungry enough. remember to try and feed everything in your tank, or stuff will feed itself.

06/18/2007, 10:58 AM	#5
Sepeku Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 356	Yah, I've seen my my nassarius go after everything that isn't moving as quickly as it should. Generally I take it as a queue that something serious is wrong and requires intervention.

06/18/2007, 11:05 AM	#6
sufunk Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Davie, Florida Posts: 2,004	Any peppermint shrimp that gets caught and eaten by a nassarius snail has some SERIOUS health issues, imo.

06/18/2007, 01:24 PM	#9
Beanfish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 121	I would find it very hard to believe that your Nas snails killed the Peppermint Shrimp. I had both and they got along fine until my puffer ate the shrimp!