snail id hitchickers

braytag · 11/14/2015, 07:34 PM

Hi guys just trying to make sure the snails are ok. I'm worried they could be whelks.

I really sucks at iding things.

Thanks

Bent · 11/14/2015, 07:38 PM

Them look like Tongan nassisarius snails. (Spelling?)

Do they dig under the sand? IME if they are gliding along the rock and sand and you never see them actually bury themselves, then they are likely whelks. Whelks won't bury themselves.

Bent · 11/14/2015, 07:47 PM

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

Dkuhlmann · 11/14/2015, 07:56 PM

Tongan Nassarius are very large (2"+) that does look like a small regular (1/2"-1") Nassarius. Need better picture to compare it to a whelk. What did it hitchhike in on? How many do you have? Ben is right the Nassarius bury themselves in the sand and when you feed the tank they pop out of the sandbed like a bunch of Zombies

Dkuhlmann · 11/14/2015, 08:06 PM

"The creature on the left is a Nassarius, the one on the right is a whelk. Whelks get much larger, while Nassarius don't."

"If you look at the texture of their snouts, there is a specific pattern "tattooed" onto the flesh of the Whelk. Also, the Whelk has a protective shell on its tail that it uses to seal itself in its shell when in danger. This gives it a water tight seal."

braytag · 11/15/2015, 07:44 AM

thanks guys, I'll check if it has a "flapper". If not I'll keep them.

Got both of them on a elegance coral.

cloak · 11/15/2015, 11:42 AM

You might want to do a search on Columbellid snails as well. The picture you have looks very similar to the one in the link below. These have been known to hitchhike there way into our aquariums on a regular basis. Also, if you haven't already you might want to post your picture in the Other Invertebrates Forum. Pagojoe is VERY good at identifying things for people GL.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rs/index.php

11/14/2015, 07:38 PM	#2
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Them look like Tongan nassisarius snails. (Spelling?) Do they dig under the sand? IME if they are gliding along the rock and sand and you never see them actually bury themselves, then they are likely whelks. Whelks won't bury themselves. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump Last edited by Bent; 11/14/2015 at 07:50 PM.

11/14/2015, 07:47 PM	#3
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	http://melevsreef.com/whelk-versus-nassarius __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

11/14/2015, 07:56 PM	#4
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Tongan Nassarius are very large (2"+) that does look like a small regular (1/2"-1") Nassarius. Need better picture to compare it to a whelk. What did it hitchhike in on? How many do you have? Ben is right the Nassarius bury themselves in the sand and when you feed the tank they pop out of the sandbed like a bunch of Zombies __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

11/14/2015, 08:06 PM	#5
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	"The creature on the left is a Nassarius, the one on the right is a whelk. Whelks get much larger, while Nassarius don't." "If you look at the texture of their snouts, there is a specific pattern "tattooed" onto the flesh of the Whelk. Also, the Whelk has a protective shell on its tail that it uses to seal itself in its shell when in danger. This gives it a water tight seal." __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

11/15/2015, 07:44 AM	#6
braytag Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19	thanks guys, I'll check if it has a "flapper". If not I'll keep them. Got both of them on a elegance coral.

11/15/2015, 11:42 AM	#7
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	You might want to do a search on Columbellid snails as well. The picture you have looks very similar to the one in the link below. These have been known to hitchhike there way into our aquariums on a regular basis. Also, if you haven't already you might want to post your picture in the Other Invertebrates Forum. Pagojoe is VERY good at identifying things for people GL. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rs/index.php