Money Cowrie strange

[Pamelahaley]

I purchased a money cowrie from LFS over 6 months ago. I never saw much of it. There were occasions where it would rise from the sand with feeding then bury itself again. I didn't see it for a couple of months at one point.

In the past 2 weeks, it has spent all of it's time on top of the sand and on it's back. Not dead. Not decomposing. it moves from one side of the tank to the other when I'm not looking but, I always catch it in the same position.

What is strange is that I noticed this behavior with all the money cowries at the LFS I had purchased it from a few weeks before mine started doing it as well. I go to the store last weekend and, they are all still on their backs. That LFS doesn't provide them with sand to bury in but... either way I find it strange that they are all exhibiting the same behavior around the same time and have been separated for over 6 months.

The new guy at the store assumed his were dying (good call LFS employee ::sarcasm: Perhaps it's a seasonal thing....

any ideas?

 

[Elysia]

I have several money cowries, several for multiple years now, and none of them have EVER burrowed down in the sand. When I can't immediately locate one, its because it is attached to the underside of some rock or the inside of this one large oyster shell that is in the one tank. I've also never seen mine upside down, except on one occassion when it got knocked off of the rock it was foraging on. It simply extended its mantle on was on its way. Are you sure these are money cowries that you have? They are great snails, but I did have to purchase several to get the ones that have been with me for so long.

 

[Pamelahaley]

Well... I never questioned it til now, just took the LFS word for it since I just wanted a sand cleaner. After looking it up, the closest I come is Babylonia zeylanica... can't believe they sold me a predatory snail as a Scavenger!!! I haven't seen any losses aside some margarita snails...

 

[Pamelahaley]

Nevermind... the mystery has been solved tonight as the Babylonia zeylanica is devoured by nassarius and harlequin serpent.

 

[Elysia]

Did the snail die a natural death, or did you help it along Actual money cowries (and the similar ring cowries) are great animals to have in a tank and look nothing like the snail species that you have identified as being sold to you. My guess is that these snails (both the one in your tank and the ones at the LFS) have starved to death. That is a shame in itself, and its sad that the LFS didn't know what it was selling you.