nassarius snails eat queen conches?

chrisstankevitz · 09/15/2006, 09:49 PM

Just added a queen conch to my 24 gallon nanocube which has 4 nassarius snails already.

The snails are going after the conch. The conch is pretty profanity removed in terms of getting out of town, but understandably it worries me. Are the nassarius snails trying to eat the conch because it is sick?

The nassarius snails climb onto the conch, and deploy "the tube" (if you have nassarius snails you know what I'm talking about). Then the conch cartwheels the heck out of there.

Thanks for your advice,

Chris

meco65 · 09/15/2006, 09:58 PM

Had a Queen conch that eight my Mexican turbo.

Sk8r · 09/15/2006, 10:12 PM

Conches eat algae. Nassarius eat dead things. If the conch is giving them 'dismount' cues, the conch is healthy enough. It may dive beneath the sand [as they do] and disappear for a month at a time---one of mine was AWOL for 3 months---and reappear with no explanation.

drummereef · 09/16/2006, 12:29 AM

I've heard of Nassarius snails competing with each other but not other snails. They are probably just making friends with her

TekCat · 09/16/2006, 12:41 AM

Nassarius Obsoleta (sp?) reported to have predatory tendencies. They could kill.

However if you have Nassarius Vibex, then it is really weird... they eat poop, not poopers

a4twenty · 09/16/2006, 11:16 AM

are you sure they are nassarius? whelks look a lot like nassarius snails and are predatory. check this out to be sure.

Sk8r · 09/16/2006, 11:31 AM

Definitely with a4twenty---if any snail eats another, get it out of your tank: predatory whelks are a variety of 'snail' that is just here for lunch.

chrisstankevitz · 09/16/2006, 03:10 PM

My four nassarius snails eat dead crabs. One ate a live black margarita snail that was clearly sick. The black margarita snail was on her back and kept falling down onto her back whenever I would right her. A nassarius "smelled the sickness" (?), surfaced, and at the snail.

This same nassarius snail tried eating the queen conch, but the conch fought off the attack.

Here is a picture of the nassarius snail to tried to eat the live conch. He is a pig, but only eats dead/dying animals (so far):

meco65 · 09/16/2006, 05:38 PM

Not to take over the thread so I have a whelk I think because it never goes under sand, and a Queen conch that dose go under sand, and a nassarius that stays under the sand. The only time I have ever saw them together is when they ate my Mexican Turbo snail. That said, so my Mexican turbo was more than likely dieing for them all to gang up on it and eat it like that??

chrisstankevitz · 09/16/2006, 05:45 PM

Meco, I cannot answer your question, but I have seen the same. Your queen conch spends her time under the sand? I've never seen mine go under the sand or even try to go under the sand.

meco65 · 09/16/2006, 05:55 PM

I guess I need to find out if its a Queen, Crown or Horse conch. Those are the kinds of conchs that I have herd of mine was sold as a Queen. Going by what I found on the net mine looks like a Crown Conch. I also did a test it will eat algae and I put a piece of frozen shrimp in front of it and it ate it also.

09/15/2006, 09:49 PM	#1
chrisstankevitz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA, USA Posts: 118	nassarius snails eat queen conches? Just added a queen conch to my 24 gallon nanocube which has 4 nassarius snails already. The snails are going after the conch. The conch is pretty profanity removed in terms of getting out of town, but understandably it worries me. Are the nassarius snails trying to eat the conch because it is sick? The nassarius snails climb onto the conch, and deploy "the tube" (if you have nassarius snails you know what I'm talking about). Then the conch cartwheels the heck out of there. Thanks for your advice, Chris Last edited by bertoni; 09/15/2006 at 11:08 PM.

09/15/2006, 10:12 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Conches eat algae. Nassarius eat dead things. If the conch is giving them 'dismount' cues, the conch is healthy enough. It may dive beneath the sand [as they do] and disappear for a month at a time---one of mine was AWOL for 3 months---and reappear with no explanation. __________________ 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%.

09/16/2006, 12:29 AM	#4
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I've heard of Nassarius snails competing with each other but not other snails. They are probably just making friends with her __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

09/16/2006, 11:31 AM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Definitely with a4twenty---if any snail eats another, get it out of your tank: predatory whelks are a variety of 'snail' that is just here for lunch. __________________ 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%.

09/15/2006, 09:58 PM	#2
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	Had a Queen conch that eight my Mexican turbo.

09/16/2006, 12:41 AM	#5
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	Nassarius Obsoleta (sp?) reported to have predatory tendencies. They could kill. However if you have Nassarius Vibex, then it is really weird... they eat poop, not poopers

09/16/2006, 11:16 AM	#6
a4twenty Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,603	are you sure they are nassarius? whelks look a lot like nassarius snails and are predatory. check this out to be sure.

09/16/2006, 03:10 PM	#8
chrisstankevitz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA, USA Posts: 118	My four nassarius snails eat dead crabs. One ate a live black margarita snail that was clearly sick. The black margarita snail was on her back and kept falling down onto her back whenever I would right her. A nassarius "smelled the sickness" (?), surfaced, and at the snail. This same nassarius snail tried eating the queen conch, but the conch fought off the attack. Here is a picture of the nassarius snail to tried to eat the live conch. He is a pig, but only eats dead/dying animals (so far):

09/16/2006, 05:38 PM	#9
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	Not to take over the thread so I have a whelk I think because it never goes under sand, and a Queen conch that dose go under sand, and a nassarius that stays under the sand. The only time I have ever saw them together is when they ate my Mexican Turbo snail. That said, so my Mexican turbo was more than likely dieing for them all to gang up on it and eat it like that??

09/16/2006, 05:45 PM	#10
chrisstankevitz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA, USA Posts: 118	Meco, I cannot answer your question, but I have seen the same. Your queen conch spends her time under the sand? I've never seen mine go under the sand or even try to go under the sand.

09/16/2006, 05:55 PM	#11
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	I guess I need to find out if its a Queen, Crown or Horse conch. Those are the kinds of conchs that I have herd of mine was sold as a Queen. Going by what I found on the net mine looks like a Crown Conch. I also did a test it will eat algae and I put a piece of frozen shrimp in front of it and it ate it also.