Anyone help me ID these snails?

[JohnnyK81]

Trying to figure out what these are, and where they came from!

These first 2 I bought when they were smaller, so I know where they came from. :D Just not sure what they are.. They are pretty large now.. maybe 1.5" tall.. Nevermind the ones mohawk.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gkrikorian/snail3.JPG

This next one, I BELIEVE I got from the live rock when I first got it, but he was less than 1 mm big then, about 8 months ago. No idea what he is.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gkrikorian/snail4.JPG

THese next two are mysteries.. The black and white one just appeared. I haven't added anything new to the tank in months, except recently a spotted goby, a cleaner shrimp, and 2 coral frags.. I would have seen this black and white on the coral frags, because i saw him the next day, and he's about 0.75" long.. So, no idea!

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gkrikorian/snail2.JPG

And the other one, just saw him today.. No idea where he came form either. It's MAYBE possible he was in the zoa frags, but it's about .25" big, and I would have though I would have seen him.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/gkrikorian/snail1.jpg

Just trying to figure out why these zoas aren't opening, so I figure I'd start id'ing some things that i have no clue what or how they came to be. :D

Thanks guys

[cloak]

The last picture looks like a collonista snail. Harmless grazer. Not sure about the other three though.

[pagojoe]

The first one is either a turbinid (Astralium) or trochus (Tectus). The shells look almost exactly the same, but the Astralium has a shelly operculum, while the trochus has an amber disc for an operculum. Both are safe algae eaters. Yours has the shape of Tectus fenestratus it appears, so that's my guess. The second one is a chilodontid, Euchelus atratum. It eats algae and may also graze on sponges. The third shell is a juvenile buccinid whelk, Engina histrio. They may eat worms or vermetids, or other small snails. The last one is either a Homalopoma or Collonista species. This one is usually called Collonista amakusaensis, although it's pretty different from the type specimen of that species. It's in the same family and subfamily, in any case, and is an algal grazer.

Cheers,



Don

[JohnnyK81]

Good god, you're like the snail whisperer! I appreciate it! :D

So that whelk.. Is he safe for all intents and purposes, or should I retire him? I have a boxfish, clownfish, numerous hermits, an emerald, BTA, flame scallop (If he's still kickin, who knows), cleaner shrimp, zoas, and some torch coral frags that I didn't care for too well.

As well as I can see worms out at night, as well as tiny little see through bugs. :D

[pagojoe]

If you have just one, he'll be okay. If you had a bunch, it might eventually cause problems. You probably won't miss anything that he'd eat, anyway.

Cheers,



Don

[JohnnyK81]

Thanks man! I'll leave him then. He's one of the better looking ones. ;)

[DoubleM 10]

The first one is either a turbinid (Astralium) or trochus (Tectus). The shells look almost exactly the same, but the Astralium has a shelly operculum, while the trochus has an amber disc for an operculum. Both are safe algae eaters. Yours has the shape of Tectus fenestratus it appears, so that's my guess. The second one is a chilodontid, Euchelus atratum. It eats algae and may also graze on sponges. The third shell is a juvenile buccinid whelk, Engina histrio. They may eat worms or vermetids, or other small snails. The last one is either a Homalopoma or Collonista species. This one is usually called Collonista amakusaensis, although it's pretty different from the type specimen of that species. It's in the same family and subfamily, in any case, and is an algal grazer.

Cheers,


this is impressive. especially with those pics
Don