pyramid snails on my turbo?

[fuschia_red]

I don't know if it's possible but it is! The other morning, I got up early and felt like taking a look at my tank, so I manually turned on the actinics. To my surprise, I saw my turbo snails out and about and what was attached to their shells? Pyramids! I couldn't believe it. I didn't even know that pyramid snails attacked turbos too. It was harsh and rough but I removed all three of the turbos and gave their shell freshwater baths.

My question is, do wrasses eat pyramid snails? Are there natural (reef-safe) pyramid snail predators I could use?

 

[jcp7857]

Tagging along I have had this same issue in the past!

 

[fuschia_red]

yeah...really really strange! I'm a little worried about that might happen if EVEN one of those snails survives.

 

[Packersfan21]

Ok well I have margarita snails on my turbo snails sometimes. I don't think they're attacking them but rather just eating algae off their shells.

 

[fuschia_red]

I check it out too. these snails look very much like pyramids (white shell) and very tiny.

 

[Diatome]

Sounds like a parasitic snail I have seen on RC before. I can't think of the name but did see a recommendation on RC to search for Pyramidellidae OR Tathrella OR Pyrgiscus.

 

[jmicky41]

Yes, it is possible. I had the same problem some time ago. When most people think of pyrams, they think clams. But some types of pyrams go after other snails. I removed the turbos from the tank and gently brushed the pyrams off. The turbos did die - but my tank has a terrible record of keeping turbos or astreas alive anyway.

 

[Javeo]

I had the same problem for awhile. I would take out all my snail and clean their shells every day but still the pyrams returned. I solved the problem by adding a yellow (banana) wrasse. It exterminated the pyrams in a matter of weeks and was a active and colourful fish. Unfortunatly it died sometme ago, but i havent seen a single pyram, such is its legacy

 

[fuschia_red]

Presently, I have a six-line wrasse that has decimated my flatworm population (which is the reason for his existence in my tank anyway) but hasn't shown much interest in pyramid snails.

I've done exactly what everyone else has so far. I've had to take the turbos out and BRUSH the pyramids off in 'like' temperature freshwater/saltwater. The pyramid snails aren't at plague proportion but I'm just wondering where they came from. I haven't added inverts in a long time, the clams are over a year old and the snails are even older.

Strange.