?Hitchhiking snail?

[dazed]

Found this guy last night in the tank must have just caught a ride in on some new live rock any ideas? Is it harmful to anything?? I did not like seeing the little white tube sticking out of the front of it.

 

[greenbean36191]

Wow, took me a minute to see it. It would really help tell what it is if it was against a background that contrasted with it better. From this picture it appears to be a murex though. They're primarily predators of mollusks.

 

[graveyardworm]

I cant see anything that resembles a snail.

 

[jjudd1068]

Is it just those tentacles sticking out of a hole? I have some like that, and if they are near the sand they will make a tiny sand fort around there hole. If you watch, you'll see particles of sand or dietrus being drawn in along one tentacle into the hole, then pop out and be drawn out too the end of the other tentacle and let go.
Really no idea what it is, but wondered if yours was the same as mine. Mine have never left thier holes, and since one is right in the middle of a sps that actually grows too cover its fort I dont think they are doing any harm.
Good Luck

 

[o2zen]

Where is he?

 

[J. Montgomery]

Its literally in the center of the picture, shell and all. The peanut worm looking thing is its head. Its not the tentacles; the shell is directly below the tube worm tentacles. The shell is slightly covering up one of the zoas, and the bottom of the shell is touching the sand. Its like one of those Where's Waldo pictures.

 

[dazed]

greenbean36191 & J. montgomery:
You guys get the gold star
I thought that the picture would cause some issues so I grabbed some more at lunch these should help. Be right back

 

[dazed]

These should solve the mystery: thanks again for the help.

 

[sanfordbhines]

Looks like a type of whelk.

 

[greenbean36191]

It's definitely a murex. They almost all look the same to me though, so I can't help much more than that.

 

[dazed]

thanks for the id but if it preys on mollusks then I guess I do not want him cruising around the tank.

 

[pagojoe]

The first photos are a great illustration of how well these guys can "hide." It took me a couple minutes to find the snail, even though I was looking straight at it.

I realize you have probably already removed the snail, but just for the record (and in case someone else goes looking for an ID and finds this post), this is Muricodrupa fiscella (Gmelin, 1791).

http://www.gastropods.com/5/Shell_4235.html

Cheers,



Don