Nassarius Reproduction?

[jjmatti]

Is is easy or common that Nassarius snail reproduce in reef tanks? I know I have purchased around 30 of these little guys to maintenence my 75 gallons DSB but i keep seeing more and more. Yesterday I saw about 10 very tiny ones (much smaller then any I remember putting into the tank)
Is this common for these snails to reproduce? Where do they get there shell from?
If anyone has any experience I would love to learn more about these guys because I was thinking about buying more for the tank but If I could culture them someway in the tank and grow the population I would be much better off. (I THINK)...
Thanks,
J-

 

[graveyardworm]

It is possible for them reproduce in your tank, but highly unlikely. They have a planktonic larval stage where they generally become food for corals and skimmate. There is a columbelid snail very similar to nassarius ( euplica versicolor ) sold at IPSF under the name strombus grazer which do reproduce very well in aquaria. Also there are some very tiny snails resembling nassarius which usually hitchhike in on LR which I cant say whether they are capable of successful reproduction ( I beleive they are capable though ) sorry I dont know what they are called. They are characterised by the ability to dangle from the LR on threads like a spider.

 

[jjmatti]

I should rephrase the question because I am not completely sure that these little guys are nassarius snails rather they look like them. I took another look at them and am sure I did not put these little guys in my tank. But they appear to have similar shells or lumps and a flat "face". They move fast like nassarius snails and seem to appear after a feeding coming out of the sand.

 

[boomsticks]

My snails breed like rabbits! You should see white sacs or squiggle lines on the glass that is proof that they are reproducing. Snails get their shells from producing calcium and other minerals excreted....

 

[graveyardworm]

Snail reproduction is quite common in reef tanks, however the actual survival rate of the larvae is dismall at best. The only ones which which successfully produce young on a regular basis are the ones which hatch out and are capable of crawling away and do not have a planktonic stage outside of the egg.

white spots on the walls should provide you with some answers.

 

[reefnewbie54321]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7377128#post7377128 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
It is possible for them reproduce in your tank, but highly unlikely. They have a planktonic larval stage where they generally become food for corals and skimmate. There is a columbelid snail very similar to nassarius ( euplica versicolor ) sold at IPSF under the name strombus grazer which do reproduce very well in aquaria. Also there are some very tiny snails resembling nassarius which usually hitchhike in on LR which I cant say whether they are capable of successful reproduction ( I beleive they are capable though ) sorry I dont know what they are called. They are characterised by the ability to dangle from the LR on threads like a spider.

Maybe colinista? I had these things that were basicly mini turbos, reproduced like crazy and were hitchhikers

 

[normanviking]

i have nassarius trying to reproduce in my tank. Looks like seasamr seeds all over the tank. Good food source for my corals lol