Conch with a bad attitude

[SeaSaltyDog]

I just purchased a conch from the LFS. They said it was an algea eater. First thing it did was go after one of my Astrea snails. I thought it was just on top of it. But when I tried to pull it off it had some sort of forked apendage wedged deep inside of the snail. Any idea what sort of conch I have. I am a little worried about my clams now since I cant find the conch anywhere in the tank.

The conch is about the size of a large macthbox car.
Any help would be great.

Robbie

 

[reefNetWork]

got a pic?

 

[pwachs]

You probably dont have conch. I beleive its some whelks that may look like a conch, but are carnivores.

 

[SeaSaltyDog]

I will try to get a pic. He is going in the sump as soon as I find him.
Are my clams in Danger?

 

[reefNetWork]

if you want a good algae eating conch i would say queen conch. i have one and it eats diatoms and hair algae like crazy. you can see it mow down on hair algae, i love it. grreat little cleaner for your sand bed too.

 

[Fountainhead]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8053209#post8053209 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefNetWork
grreat little cleaner for your sand bed too.

Yeah? Any tips on how to keep them there? I added 4 Queen Conchs (which now I hear is probably 2 too many) to help keep my sand bed stirred up now that I've lost my diamond Goby, but they all made a beeline for the rocks and my unstirred sand just mocks me. Here's a picture of one of the lazy sods.

To the original poster, matchbox car-sized is a pretty big conch, if it really is one. The behavior is certainly suspect. Post a picture if you can.

My Queen:

 

[Sk8r]

That's not a fighting conch. Fighting conchs and queen conchs are algae eaters. Whelks eat snails.

 

[reefNetWork]

Yea i find mine on the glass sometimes but usually its on the sand bed.

 

[graveyardworm]

Conch's will go where the food is. Fighting conchs are a decent choice for keeping the sand bed clean. Queen conchs definately get the job done, but eventually outgrow most home aquariums. If too many are present they may eventually starve when food supply runs low.

Read this

 

[RicksReefs]

some 'conchs' are labeled as conchs, but not all are reef safe. make sure you get a true Strombus conch. horse conchs, crown conchs, etc. are predators.

 

[Sk8r]

I have a 1 inch caribbean and a 2" tongan fighting conch in my 52, and they both make a living. Disappear for a month at a time under the sandbed and resurface for no apparent reason.

 

[EricBrian]

I have a sand conch and, like sk8r said, disappears for a long time and then resurfaces. He cleans like nothing I've seen before. One of my best buys.

Have you been able to id your snail killer?