Are these pyramid snails?

gcvt

gcvt

New member
They're all over the sandbed and on the dead astrea snail shells....are they the dreaded pyramids? I don't have a clam yet, but I've been shopping for one lately.

bad_snails.jpg
 
There are lots of free living snails that looks like pyramids. There are pyramids that prey on snails. You can see them on your living snails. You need to remove these (the ones on living snails) or they will kill your snails. Those that prey on snails do not prey on clams. I would not worry about the small white snails that live on the sand or rock. They are harmless.
Minh
 
They look like the ones i just started seeing..... i've been removing them from my snails as i see them. I haven't had a big snail dieoff or anything, but i have been trying to get them.

I also didn't see any on my clam, but i moved it to quarenteen just to be safe.

Actually, i don't know what happened recently in my tank, but i just had an explosion of small snails.... some look like pyramids, others aren't all white, so i'm assuming they are baby snails, but can't really tell yet.

Ken
 
this may or may not be of any use and certainly can't be considered a positive id by any means, but here's a pic of 2 kinds i have/had in my tank. the one on the left i pulled off a clam that it was sucking on, and the one on the right i pulled off a snail that it was sucking on. my sandbed was full of thousands of the snail-eating ones at one point. both of them are much smaller than a grain of rice.

p_snails.jpg
 
the ones i've been taking off my snails look like the one on the left (really white colored).

The other small snails i have in my tank aren't that long, pointy shell.... more rounded...

Ken
 
Damn, that's a good photo! Mine look more like the snail on the left...all white.

So what do I do? Go ahead and buy a clam and see if they attack it? Or should I get a wrasse or coris first in an attempt to get rid of some of the snails before adding a clam? I'd hate to spend $100+ on a clam only to have it sucked to death :(

Thanks for the help folks!
 
If you have no clams in the tank then you have no clam parasites in the tank. They are very specific interm of host. When you get the clam, you should really look and clam them before place them into your tank. Eggs case will develope into full grown snails in about 3 weeks, so you really need to watch the new clams well the first months or two.
Minh
 
Oooooh, okay...I didn't realize that. I thought I might have some in the tank already, just waiting for me to add a clam.
 
Minh,

Quick question for you. I had a clam with pyramid snails on it in my tank. It has since died. It has now been six months. In your opinion do you think they would have died off by now?

Thanks,
Tim
 
6 months is long enough. All the Clam parasites should be dead by now. If you look at all the new clams well and make sure they are clean before you put them into your tank, and look and make sue they are parasite free for the first month you are homefree(due to possible eggs with them espcially you have to remove full grown snails from them). Of course everytime you add a clam you have to do the same thing.
My tank is parasitic free at this time on both clams and snails. I will always clean all snails and all clams prior to add them into my tank. Even now, I look at clams at night once in a while to check for parasites.
 
klierman said:
When attacking clams, do they go after the mantle, the foot, or ?

Anyone have pics of them on a clam?

Ken
Click to expand...
At night they craw to the mantle to feed. Durring the day, they hide in crevices and crack in the shell, and also near the foot and byssal opening of the clam.
 
I have what looks like them. I never had a clam and dont plan on getting one. I thought they were baby ceriths.Should I be worried?
 
Angelofish said:
I have what looks like them. I never had a clam and dont plan on getting one. I thought they were baby ceriths.Should I be worried?
Click to expand...
You should worry if your snails arr infected with them. They ar enot clams predators.
Minh
 
klierman said:
the ones i've been taking off my snails look like the one on the left (really white colored).
Click to expand...

both snails are white to the naked eye, especially through the glass.
 
Will Pyramid snails attack Stomatella snails?

I just discovered a healthy population of Pyramids today (although I have no clams, and found no Pyramids on any of my snails). My Stomatella population used to be very adundant, but I haven't seen any in a couple months now. I'm wondering if these Pyramids are the culprits.

I ordered a Blue Flasher Wrasse that should be in next week (just a coincidence re: the Pyramids), I'm hoping he may help with the Pyramids too...?
 
Paramids are parasites. You find them on clams or snails. They do not live freely in the sand or rock. There are lots of snails that look like Paramids to the naked eyes but are harmless and live on rock and sand.
Not all tiny snails are parasitic snails.
 
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