Snail ID Harmful?

[sz2121]

Hey Everyone,
Sorry the picture is so bad but its about the best I can get at such a close angle. The snail is a little smaller than a grain of rice. It is dark brown by the snail's head and then a lighter brown throughout the body. The foot of the snail is about 2x as big as the entire body of the snail when it is on the glass.
I never paid attention to the snail before last night when I saw about 20 of them trying to jam into a Turbo snail shell. I picked them all out last night but then this morning I noticed about 10 or 15 more were attacking a different snail. I am assuming they are some sort of parasitic snail seeing as how they are attacking other snails but didnt know if anyone on here has ever seen them, dealt with them, or knew what they were.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have been picking them out as soon as I see one.
Thanks.

 

[sz2121]

I was able to get a couple much better pictures.
Any ideas anyone?

 

[pagojoe]

They are marginellids, apparently Volvarina species. There are several species that look very similar. They are most likely scavengers as well as predators, although their prey would be tiny, of course. A bunch of them might have some effect in the long run on the health of your sand bed fauna, but one or two probably won't make a significant impact.

http://www.gastropods.com/1/Shell_2281.html

Cheers,



Don

 

[sz2121]

Thanks a lot. I noticed them going after turbo snails by the dozen. Do you know a good way to get rid of them or should I just keep pulling them out when I see them?
Thanks again,
Scott

 

[pagojoe]

You can try trapping them with a piece of screen wire and a chunk of meat or fish. Most, or maybe all of them, will be attracted to the bait, and you can lift out the screen and get them in a bunch.

Cheers,



Don