Friend or Foe?

[cwolfus]

Greetings,

A buddy brought me some frags today, and after a good soak in Tropic Marin, I found this guy alive and well. Can you help me with an ID?

Thanks!

-Charles

 

[Freed]

Looks like a tiny turbo snail but the markings are also kind of like a sundial but sundials normally are more horizontal. Maybe some one more in the know on snails can chime in here.

 

[Sk8r]

Looks like a small strombus grazer, max size about 1/3 inch.

 

[cwolfus]

Thanks for the quick replies.

ts definately not a strombus as the pointy end does not stick out so far (I have a few strombus to compare to ). The shape is more like a turbo, so that could be it, but I'm not so sure. Sundials I have seen seemed flatter.

More help?

Thanks

-Charles

 

[Elite]

I don't remember what it called but it's a friend .. I have several hundreds in my tank. They don't get big. They usually come come at night.

 

[Ti]

u got urself a turbo

 

[Elite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7701485#post7701485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ti
u got urself a turbo

No it's not a turbo...

Here is the link
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/collonista.html

 

[cwolfus]

Thanks all.

I think Elite has it right. Here's a link to the Shimek article with pics...

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php

And another pic...

http://www.gastropods.com/1/Shell_26361.html

Thanks again,

Charles

 

[Kinetic]

the lines on the back look similar to my trochus snails as well

 

[Ti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7701607#post7701607 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Elite
No it's not a turbo...

Here is the link
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/collonista.html

No, it's a turbo.
Keep in mind Turbo isn't a scientific name, just a name commonly used, so just cause it's more formally known as a collonista doesn't rule it out of the "turbo" category. Kinda like tomato clown and clarki clown, both are still in the clown category.

"Collonista are "mini-Turbo snails." They are seldom purchased by hobbyists, but are relatively common in reef tanks anyway, because they appear to hitchhike in on live rock or in some live sand. When hobbyists first see them, they presume them to be "baby" grazers of some sort. Instead, they have some of these animals. They reach a maximum adult size of about 1/4th inch (6 mm) in height and diameter. They are often tan to white and have mottled brown color patterns on the shell. They can be distinguished from all other Trochoideans by their small size and the presence of a small pit or hole in the center of the calcareous operculum that plugs the aperture. They reproduce well in aquaria, and are quite good grazers. If present in large numbers, they may effectively replace all other grazers in our systems."

Check out the link cwolfus posted.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php