pyramid snails
- Thread starter kinerson
- Start date
racrumrine
New member
Per Dr Ron, the pyramids eat what they live on.
He said that the pyramids that eat clams won't eat snails and visa versa. Thus, if you keep a clam out of your tank for awhile, the clam eating ones should die and you should be able to start over again with another clam.
Best of luck,
Roy
He said that the pyramids that eat clams won't eat snails and visa versa. Thus, if you keep a clam out of your tank for awhile, the clam eating ones should die and you should be able to start over again with another clam.
Best of luck,
Roy
Dr Ron has told me that also and i asked him for some study that showed this, he just got angree
i asked greenbean the same thing he looked into it and found this http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/157/2/320this doesnt prove that the species that we find on our clams and snails will definitely jump host's, but it does prove that pyrams do in fact feed on multiple hosts.
racrumrine
New member
I'm no Dr Ron; but, I have a tank with snail pyramid parasites and they have never been on the clam that has grown about double its size in that tank.
After I discovered the snail pyramids, I started trying to get rid of them (mostly by pulling out their host and carefully taking all the pyramids off it, then putting the host back in the tank). Over time, I have really knocked their population down; but, I know they are still in there. They are not so bad because I have 2 other species of snails actively breeding in that tank.
My snail parasites like to go after my Trochus snails. In the past, I've had at least 100 of them hanging out on one. Now, if I find them, it might be a few here and there.
Best of luck,
Roy
After I discovered the snail pyramids, I started trying to get rid of them (mostly by pulling out their host and carefully taking all the pyramids off it, then putting the host back in the tank). Over time, I have really knocked their population down; but, I know they are still in there. They are not so bad because I have 2 other species of snails actively breeding in that tank.
My snail parasites like to go after my Trochus snails. In the past, I've had at least 100 of them hanging out on one. Now, if I find them, it might be a few here and there.
Best of luck,
Roy
racrumrine
New member
Dr Ron always said that they would hang around the foot or mantle (not sure of the proper term), and then they would suck on the snail. When they are done feeding, they tend to hang around the bottom of the shell near the foot until they want to feed again.
To get rid of them, I pull the Trochus snail out, turn it over, and use my fingers or a pin or toothpick to flick all of the pyramid snails off the Trochus, then I put the Trochus back in the tank.
When the Trochus is on the front glass, it's really obvious that pyramids are riding on it. The pyramid snails are hardly ever on the top of the Trochus shell (probably because it's too far to walk for the next free meal).
Dr Ron would say that the pyramids weaken their host. I would agree. However, when it is happening the Trochus don't seem to act like someone is sucking or bothering them.
I first got the pyramids with a cup of sand. When I first saw them, I was excited to find out that I had "baby snails". Then, when I saw them riding on the Trochus, I did more research and realized that they were in fact parasites.
Hope that answers your questions.
Best of luck,
Roy
To get rid of them, I pull the Trochus snail out, turn it over, and use my fingers or a pin or toothpick to flick all of the pyramid snails off the Trochus, then I put the Trochus back in the tank.
When the Trochus is on the front glass, it's really obvious that pyramids are riding on it. The pyramid snails are hardly ever on the top of the Trochus shell (probably because it's too far to walk for the next free meal).
Dr Ron would say that the pyramids weaken their host. I would agree. However, when it is happening the Trochus don't seem to act like someone is sucking or bothering them.
I first got the pyramids with a cup of sand. When I first saw them, I was excited to find out that I had "baby snails". Then, when I saw them riding on the Trochus, I did more research and realized that they were in fact parasites.
Hope that answers your questions.
Best of luck,
Roy
LeslieH
Premium Member
This paper http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/157/2/320 only shows that a few of the more than 6000 species of pyramidellids feed on multiple hosts. Some are indeed specific to just one host. The feeding habits of the vast multitude of species in the family are unknown.
