Beware the TBS whelks...

[CStrickland]

Yeah. Basically it's not a strombus unless it's a strombus, but maybe it doesn't have to be a strombus to be a strombus.

Also, we can gif!?!! Suhweet

 

[toothybugs]

Ah crap. I thought those were nass snails - no wonder they were lined up inside my cleaner clams...

TIME TO RESCUE THE MAXIMAS!!!

 

[Hitch08]

Yeah. Basically it's not a strombus unless it's a strombus, but maybe it doesn't have to be a strombus to be a strombus.

Also, we can gif!?!! Suhweet

That made me snort laugh!

 

[cambo123]

Oh I had no idea! I though they were a type of nass snail as well. I will remove.

 

[Bent]

Yours do look a little different, Bent, look as if they're larger, with a kind of snakeskin pattern. And darker in body. THere are SO many species...you might fly this past LeslieH in inverts and see if you can get an ID.

The one I threw in my sump was probably 1.5". It's by far the biggest.

 

[Sk8r]

Mmm...that ain't no strombus grazer! they never top the size of your little fingernail.

 

[saf1]

You can do some searches if you haven't already on Strombus grazers. They do look similar and breed in captivity. I think the question comes down to is what they eat vs. what you are keeping (or planning in the future to keep) and can they co-exist.

I don't have them but I do have a metric ton of Strombus grazers. I placed a order from IPSF 2 years ago or so. Part of the reef tune up kit. Anyway, I started with 6 and now have many many of them as they bred in our tanks with ease. Not uncommon to see their egg capsules on the glass. They are smart too because some fish will eat so now they use the power heads... So every 3 - 4 weeks I'll notice the egg sack is no more and a week or so later a tiny dot/snail will show up.

Anyway - mine are typically 1/2" max adult but usually smaller. Glass mostly, diatoms and algae grazing although I can't tell you the specific type.

 

[mav3rick478]

This might help: http://melevsreef.com/node/1716

That article and the other article on what a Whelk contradicts some of the key behaviors of the 2 whelks I have, that of course were sold to me as Nassarius. I say they are now Whelks because of the shell on the tail. Mine burrow in the sand and actually only stay in the sand unless I'm feeding or if something dies. I had a hermit crab and turbo snail die and they ate both of them. They've never attacked any of my turbo snails. They do glide across the sand when they smell food. They are only climb the rocks if they smell food and if they eventually figure out its on the rocks, which does take some time.

 

[CStrickland]

That article and the other article on what a Whelk contradicts some of the key behaviors of the 2 whelks I have, that of course were sold to me as Nassarius.

that kinda sounds like a nassarius distortus [or however you spell it]. sometimes they are sold as "super tongan nassarius" I thiiiink they have a trapdoor. supposed to be pretty good guys, but i havent got any

 

[Bent]

So here's some more pics of these up close and personal.

So far I'm on number 56 and the night is young.

I did also happen to discover a pretty good sized gorilla crab in all this looking too. Tried to grab him but he ran. So I need to figure out a trap for him.

 

[mav3rick478]

that kinda sounds like a nassarius distortus [or however you spell it]. sometimes they are sold as "super tongan nassarius" I thiiiink they have a trapdoor. supposed to be pretty good guys, but i havent got any

Here is a couple pics of one of my guys. They are both about 1" in length. They are also really clumsy when crawling on rocks and fall off the glass all the time when they are out when I feed my fish. [emoji23]

 

[mav3rick478]

Oops double post.

 

[CStrickland]

So cute! :inlove:

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I have two of the super tongan nassarius snails and half a dozen or so of the small ones. The small ones really get busy on the sand and the glass but not so much on rocks. The big guys have a hard time staying on the glass but still hit it every once in a while