Nessarius Snails and Sea Hares?

[Raibaru]

I have 2 jumbo nassarius snails that were part of my original clean up crew. I got a dwarf sea hare today because I hear they eat cyano quickly which I have a small amount of on my rock.

Almost as soon as the nudibranch hit the water the nassarius snails were hunting it down! I am curious if this is a recipe for disaster?

 

[650-IS350]

hmmm.. unusual ?

seahares usually eat HAIR ALGAE...

 

[madadi]

i had 6 of the nessarius snails that are larger. they live in the sand and hardly ever see them with white shell and some gray faded trough with real long trumpets and white foot with dark spekals. sold on liveaquaria under the name super tonga nessarius snail (Nassarius distortus)
same thing happend to me when i bought some lettuce nudibrances. as soon as i put them in the snails came out of the sand and tried to eat one. i know an other guy that this happend to and lost his lettuce nudibrances. lucky for me i cought my snails red-handed and they are in the refugium for good. i have the nessarius vibex now, the smaller ones. i like them better they actualy eat detritus and multiply in the tank too. id be carefull if you decide to keep them in the main thank

 

[pagojoe]

Just for the record, the Nassarius snails being sold as Super Tongan Nassarius snails are not Nassarius distortus. This is a name that was apparently misapplied by a supplier, and has been quoted by a ton of other sources, incorrectly.

http://www.gastropods.com/9/Shell_3309.html

All the ones I've seen advertised are Nassarius arcularius, and aren't from Tonga, either. They are mainly an Indian Ocean species, but reportedly may be found into the central Pacific. (I've collected extensively in Tonga, and never seen one there).

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_160.html
http://www.gastropods.com/8/Shell_1158.html

The real Nassarius distortus isn't as inflated, and behaves more like a typical Nassarius species, except that it prefers clean, white sand to muddy or silty areas. Nassarius arcularius have often been accused of killing other animals for food rather than only eating carrion, and I suspect the accusations were justified.

Cheers,


Don