Has anyone seen these before? Are they a type of snail?

[spankey]

I pulled three of these out of a friends tank that she was tearing down this weekend. I thought they were snails but they have some weird casing that comes out of the shell and wraps around it with little pickers on them? Anyone know what these are and are they OK? If not they stick together and I will toss em....

Thanks
Spankey

 

[pIankton]

Looks like a cowrie.

 

[spankey]

I actually thought so too, a tiger. But the thing is I read they are herbivores and carnivores? What is what? Are they OK to have with corals?

Thanks

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

definitely a type of Cowry. Probably a species of Monetaria, the "Ring Top" or "Money" Cowries.

 

[pagojoe]

They're Cypraea (Monetaria) moneta. This species often interbreeds with C. annulus, and many examples show the gold ring on the dorsum typical of C. annulus. The mantle of C. annulus is mottled gray and black, while the mantle of C. moneta is fingerprint-like, as yours are. They should be great aquarium residents, and are almost universally considered to be reef safe.

Cheers,



Don

 

[Echidna09]

I had one that look just like it. Unfortunately he didn't enjoy switching tanks.

 

[650-IS350]

I got a few of them in my tank, known to spawn in tanks, but mine hasn't yet.