I need a small snail predator

[Michael Hoaster]

I don't think so. I'm pretty sure whelks get bigger (longer) that conches.

 

[cloak]

I can find a few places around here that sell them.

Even one cherry picked supplier has some in right now.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/whelks-and-other-predatory-snails

Doesn't even have to be a "true" whelk, as there are many different species of snails that are predatory towards smaller snails controversally not considered whelk, or very close relative. (Babylonia, Pusiostoma, etc.)

I stand corrected... Good call. :thumbsup:

Threads like this just don't show up that often. I wonder what the damage report would be between siphoning out those snails one by one and the feeding habits of that whelk would be though? Hmm...

FWIW, this one hitchhiked a ride into one of my older tanks. The damage was negligible.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Well, the description of the one at that fish place, says it's not safe with snails. That's good enough for me! Is anybody ever 100% sure of anything in this hobby?

 

[hotelbravo]

ive actually got two in my tank when i spoke earlier i only mentioned one. both of them are small about 1 inch and when they were in my display they would take out 10 trochus snails in about two-three weeks.

 

[Deberber]

I still don't see why you can't just take them out and move them to LFS.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

You're right, Deberber, but I'm lazy and my LFS won't give me store credit for them.

Removing snails doesn't solve the problem. Like kicking a can, it just moves the issue further down the road. I'm pretty sure my 180 gallon tank can support a snail predator two.

In my thread, "Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank", I talk a lot about letting Mother Nature do most of the work for me. So far, this has yielded me a tank that looks like an oversized refugium, which, oddly enough, is what I'm going for.