florida fighting conch eating my acans!

[boosted chemist]

Last night i noticed one of my acans poylps was gone, ***? Today im watching this little beast munch on another one. Do i not have enough algae for him to eat, or should i banish him to the sump for half a week to chew chato? He does a bang up job on teh sand so i would hate to lose him.


I just have one in a 20l

 

[Coral_Craig]

Wow, I find that very odd to hear. I have a Tonga Fighting Conch and I've never seen him even look at any of my corals. Normally he munches on algae, detritus, and any uneaten fish food. Although if he's not getting enough of that, I guess he'll try eating anything.

I don't think he'll eat the Chaeto, but you can try giving him some nori or pellet food by soaking it and placing it by him.

 

[boosted chemist]

so i need to feed him i guess, i just squirted some mysis infront of him. It would be a shame cause i love the job he does to the sand.

 

[greenbean36191]

Well if your snail is eating animals, it's definitely not a Florida fighting conch. They aren't carnivores, even when they're starving. The don't have the right internal physiology for it.

Without knowing what snail you actually have, it's hard to say whether keeping it well fed is likely to keep it from going after corals, but I don't think I would trust it if I've already caught it in the act.

 

[boosted chemist]

i will get a pic later and you guys tell me. Tahnks for the info

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

It could be a whelk instead. Check the pupils on the eyes for an easy ID. If you see a colored "iris" then it is a fighting conch, if the eyes are all black then it could be a whelk. Best of luck.

 

[boosted chemist]

blue eyes with black pupils

 

[boosted chemist]

Quick pic for id if it helps

 

[pagojoe]

Guilt by association?

 

[boosted chemist]

Guilt by association?

na i saw him on the acan and watched him take bites and mass disapear.