need a snail ID

[lorawalters13]

I bought these as virgin nerites. However, they don't look like the snails I have had in the past. Could someone give me the green light before I release them into my reef?

TIA

 

[pagojoe]

They're not virgin nerites, but they're almost certainly not one of the harmful species either. I can't tell from the pic, but is the outer edge kind of sharp or rounded? It looks sharpish. I don't recognize the snails offhand, which usually means they're Panamic species. They may be colorful variants of Modulus catenulatus, in which case they'll be more detrivores than algae eaters.

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_2540.shtml

Cheers,



Don

 

[lorawalters13]

The edge of the shells are sharp. They were collected in the Florida keys. Thanks for your help!

 

[romsoccer12]

i went to florida and found like 100 of those shells so lora sounds right

 

[pagojoe]

If those really originated in the Keys, I dunno. My first thought was that they were Tegula fasciata, which is found in the Keys, but they have rounded sides instead of sharp sides, or at least the adults do. This pic shows some examples, and the smallest one (juvenile) looks like it MIGHT have sharp sides:

http://www.jaxshells.org/0926a.htm

Did you find them in the Keys, or did the seller just tell you that's where they were from?

Thanks,



Don

 

[lorawalters13]

I purchased them online from a site that is supposed to be diver direct. He is located in Tavernier, Fl.

 

[Crazy4Coral]

The one on the bottom of the bag is bad news i cant remember the name but it likes to eat zoos. When you pulled it out of your tank did it have string attached to a rock or something in your tank?

 

[pagojoe]

I think they are all the same species, Crazy4. They aren't sundials, shell is too biconical and the pattern is wrong, although that basal pic does resemble a Philippia or Heliacus species.

Cheers,



Don