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View Full Version : Abracadabra "my snails are gone"


BucNtears
12/30/2008, 06:20 PM
Abracadabra, my snails have vanished. I've study my tank both day and night and one by one they have disappeared. The tank
inhabitants consists of Chromis, Blennys, Clowns, Geometric Hawk, Firefish, Clown Goby, Pep. Shrimp, Gloden Banded shrimp, serpent and brittle starfish and whats left of my snails. I have NOT witnessed any of the fish, starfish or shrimp make an attempt on the snails... I'm Puzzled

1. I know that the snails have not climbed over the top and onto the floor.

2. I have ruled out the mantis shrimp

So going what I have said, What could/who be the cause of the disappearance of the snails?

woodiecrafts
12/30/2008, 06:28 PM
What type of snails did / do you have??

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 06:33 PM
I have turbos and some that burrow in the sand. The ones that burrow sometimes climb the glass. I've witnessed them on the turbos at times. But this was after the turbo appeared dead..

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 06:40 PM
The snails in question look like a Nassarius Snail. Could they be my turbo snail killers...?

noboddi
12/30/2008, 06:44 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045163#post14045163 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BucNtears
The snails in question look like a Nassarius Snail. Could they be my turbo snail killers...?

It is more likely the turbo was dead and they were cleaning up - is what they do.

woodiecrafts
12/30/2008, 06:52 PM
I agree with noboddi, The nassarius will disappear into the sand and come out to eat excess food and dead things like the turbos. They aren't the ones that killed the turbos though.

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 06:58 PM
Granted this is after weeks of looking at the tank night and day.....
Man, I'm lost.. I've seen them and pulled them off the turbos. At times they've got thier mouths inside the turbos shell.

jarrett
12/30/2008, 07:12 PM
i had some turbos die from i think was high nitrates.

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 07:15 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045376#post14045376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jarrett
i had some turbos die from i think was high nitrates.

All levels are good
no2 0
no3 0
ph 81.1
ca 440
dkh 8.5
temp 80.0
mg 1400

woodiecrafts
12/30/2008, 07:21 PM
What color are the Nassarius snail shells? The reason I ask is that they might be Whelks instead of Nassarius, but even then I myself have not heard of them eating live Turbos.

jarrett
12/30/2008, 07:22 PM
are they falling on their "backs" at all, when they climb on your rock glass ect

Shewillbemine
12/30/2008, 07:51 PM
Are there shells left? Honestly, there isn't much that will eat the snails AND the shells. Unless it's a crab that ate the snail then moved into the shell.

You'd be surprised--I've seen dead [empty] snail shells 30 feet away from my tank by the patio sliding door. When these guys get out, they GET OUT.

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 07:56 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045458#post14045458 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by woodiecrafts
What color are the Nassarius snail shells? The reason I ask is that they might be Whelks instead of Nassarius, but even then I myself have not heard of them eating live Turbos.

The shell is not smooth its got spikes on it.

Shewillbemine.. wrote
Are there shells left? Honestly, there isn't much that will eat the snails AND the shells. Unless it's a crab that ate the snail then moved into the shell.

You'd be surprised--I've seen dead [empty] snail shells 30 feet away from my tank by the patio sliding door. When these guys get out, they GET OUT

No all turbo shells are in the tank..empty shells

Shewillbemine
12/30/2008, 07:58 PM
Oh, empty shells? Shoot...any crabs at all? If not, then they could've just died on their own and shriveled in their shells.

Paul_PSU
12/30/2008, 08:08 PM
Do the Nassarius have a leopard pattern on the shell?

If they look like this one, get them out.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii141/novak_psu/reef/P1010102.jpg

jbird69
12/30/2008, 08:14 PM
my hawk fish excitedly watches whenever I clean the glass. If I knock a snail off, hes on it instantly. Ill shoe him away and turn the snail over as quick as possible, but theres been a few times that inital attack was fatal. Ive lost quite a few snails to the hawk,

Jay

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 08:16 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045813#post14045813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jbird69
my hawk fish excitedly watches whenever I clean the glass. If I knock a snail off, hes on it instantly. Ill shoe him away and turn the snail over as quick as possible, but theres been a few times that inital attack was fatal. Ive lost quite a few snails to the hawk,

Jay

geo metric pigmy hawk is what i've got..

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 08:18 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045775#post14045775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul_PSU
Do the Nassarius have a leopard pattern on the shell?

If they look like this one, get them out.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii141/novak_psu/reef/P1010102.jpg

Can you get a better pic ? And is the shell smoothor have spikes on it ?

jarrett
12/30/2008, 08:21 PM
turbo snails can die on thier own if left upside down or on their "backs" for too long so it might be a case of ive fallen and i cant get up.

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 08:26 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045859#post14045859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jarrett
turbo snails can die on thier own if left upside down or on their "backs" for too long so it might be a case of ive fallen and i cant get up.

I understand that, problem is I find them on the rocks also, with the empty part of the shell faceing down on the rock... I do find some on the sand bed though...

search continues

ERB82
12/30/2008, 08:29 PM
I had a fighting conch that had a spikey shell that I later found out was some sort of predetory whelk and not a fighting conch after I witnessed him hunting down my living snails grrrr!

Tylt33
12/30/2008, 08:35 PM
Hawk, Golden Banded Shrimp, and Brittle Star (red, green, yellow, or black), will all love tasty turbos.

Paul_PSU
12/30/2008, 08:50 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14045835#post14045835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BucNtears
Can you get a better pic ? And is the shell smoothor have spikes on it ?

I took them out of my tank. I had 5 that were sold as Nassarius and they are not. I watched them turn the other snails over and just devour them. The shell is mainly smooth with the point on the top. The leopard pattern is main thing. It has the snorkel for when it buries itself in the sand but then has a long elephant like mouth that can stretch to about 4 or 5 inches.

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 08:59 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14046135#post14046135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul_PSU
I took them out of my tank. I had 5 that were sold as Nassarius and they are not. I watched them turn the other snails over and just devour them. The shell is mainly smooth with the point on the top. The leopard pattern is main thing. It has the snorkel for when it buries itself in the sand but then has a long elephant like mouth that can stretch to about 4 or 5 inches.

I see.... When I pulled the snail off the turbo the "elephant like mouth" was inside the turbo.... Wondering if they are indeed quilty of the crime...

You say leopard pattern... explain futher if you will.

Paul_PSU
12/30/2008, 09:15 PM
It's just dark brown spots on a cream colored smooth shell. I had a link for what they are called and can't find it now. I had a pipe fish that stayed in one place to long on the bottom and it got on top of it and sucked his eyes out.

VacavilleFC3S
12/30/2008, 09:26 PM
nah those nassarius are just fine, they will attack when the creature is already dying though so thats most likely what you've seen. i'm going to blame it on your banded shrimp

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 10:13 PM
Ok.. I got some pics of the snail.. I had to turn the lights out and wait...tell me what you think
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/BucNtears/xmas026.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/BucNtears/xmas028.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/BucNtears/xmas030.jpg

Tylt33
12/30/2008, 11:12 PM
That's not like any nassarius that I've ever seen.

BucNtears
12/30/2008, 11:15 PM
Ladies and gentelmen.... I have ID...Thanks Pagojoe over on the invert forum..
Here is the reply I recieved


That's one of the most common snail killers, Melongena corona. Some people collect them without realizing they are predatory, and some buy them labelled "Fighting Conchs." The common name is "Crown Conch," but they aren't true conchs at all.

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_1010.html

I knew these snails were the culprits....Now I've got to figure out what to do with them....
To the sump/fuge or boil them up??????

BucNtears
12/31/2008, 11:54 AM
Bump... For the snail killer I discovered. Might want to check your tank..

chromiumlux
12/31/2008, 01:45 PM
I agree the possible culprit is the hawk fish