Pistol Shrimp ID and Snail ID (if possible) Please!

[hypermikie]

I just picked up this pistol at LFS today... ID anyone?

And I have a baby snail explosion in my 24g tank and was wondering if anyone could tell what kind of snails these are.... I have a BAZILLION of them now!

Pics are bad, my camera does not do Macro shots well...

 

[Kgoarmy17]

Looks like a Red Snapping Shrimp to me.
Alpheus sp.
If you can get your hands on a book called Reef Creature, look at page 187. Closest match I can find.

The snails are hard to tell at that size.

 

[hypermikie]

Thanks K,

That was what I was thinking, Liveaquaria calls them Japanese Pistols as well. They sell them for $35, makes me feel like I got a bargain @ $15!!

Yeah the snails are hard to see in the pics. I have a few that are slightly larger, but not out right now. The shells remind me of turbos...

 

[Kgoarmy17]

On the snail closest to the penny I can see how the shell rotates around. But its too hard to tell atm, I would've guess turbo or maybe even trochus, but its not as pointy as I would suspect a trochus to be.

What types of snails do you currently have in your system?

 

[hypermikie]

I have the following:

Cerith Snails (6-8) - to which I have seen eggs in the system
Mexican Turbos - 1 of 2 left. One died shortly after noticing the outbreak.
Nassarius Snails (4)
Bumble Bee snail (1)
Trochus Snails (3) - Recent additions, after outbreak
Astrea Snails (1-2)

 

[Kgoarmy17]

Hmm hard to tell with so many in the system. I'd say to keep an eye out on the progress of the shells. Keep us posted.

 

[hypermikie]

You would not say they would be "bad" in any sense?

I have noticed no harm to anything as of yet. I assume they are offspring of a current friendly desirable inhabitant.... or I should say I HOPE they are....

 

[Kgoarmy17]

No they shouldn't be a problem at all.
Hope there is alot of algae for them!
I would assume it to be offspring of your current snails.

 

[ACBlinky]

Google collonista snails, that's most likely what you're seeing. They're teeny turbos that often hitch a ride on LR, mostly seen at night. Great little algae munchers

 

[hypermikie]

ACB,
Definately looks like the little burgers!

I was just suprised that I had not seen them until at least 6months after the tank started. I did not add any new LR for them to hitch in on in that time period. I must have just had a population explosion. There are literally hundreds of them!

 

[racrumrine]

Looks like a blury picture of a collonista to me.

Collonistas are on this link.

http://melevsreef.com/id/snails.html

They are harmless algae eaters that breed like rabbits.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[hypermikie]

Thanks Roy...
I did check out Melevs sight and had come to the same conclusion...

Thanks for the help people!

I do need a better camera for macro shots!

Mike

 

[cb9tunerguy]

they kinda look like a sundial though. look at the tiny black spots. also the shell looks kinda spiral shaped like a sundials. do you keep any zoos? if so they could have been a hitch hiker on a colony. if so you deff dont want these in your tank.they will eat your colony.

 

[hypermikie]

I am pretty positive they are not sundials...

The pattern does not resembel sundials in person. As well all my zoas are growing in abundance, definately not loosing any.