possible bad whelk

[cdness]

Hi All,

I just got a shipment of snails and crabs today but I think I may have a bad hitchhiker... Can anyone tell me if this is a whelk and if it is bad or not?

It is in a container, isolated from the rest of the tank until I get a confirmation on good/bad...

Thanks!
Curtis

 

[pagojoe]

It's either a juvenile Strombina or a juvenile columbellid, and I'd guess the latter. Some of the Strombina and Mitrella or Mazatlania species are very similar conchologically. Strombina species are supposed to be predatory on something, but if that's what you have, it will probably eat tiny worms or other animals that you won't notice. If it's a columbellid, most of those are harmless, including the ones sold as "Strombus Grazers."

http://www.gastropods.com/3/Shell_4093.shtml

http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/TN_Family_COLUMBELLIDAE_ATILIINAE.shtml

Cheers,



Don