Snail ID please

[Jsin]

I have a few of these in my tank. I added some other snails a week ago and these snail in the picture have came out and are attacking the new snails. I am not sure where they came from. I watched one of these snails chase down a Margarita snail that was crawling along and kill it. So I am almost certain that the snails they are eating are not it bad health but these guys are hunting and killing them. I am having a hard time getting a good picture to post. They look similar to nassarius but the hole where the snail comes out of is not smooth nor does it have a feathered lip as nassarius vibex do. These guys have a jagged end. They are all about 1/2 inch long. Let me know if you can please.

 

[olemiss reb]

Whelks, eating snails is what they do.

 

[israel.kendall]

Whelks, eating snails is what they do.

+1

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[Jsin]

Ok thanks
I have been trying to find out what they are but I was unable to locate any good snail id sites. I have herd of mud Welks that ate mud and meats but could not find any matching photos to these snails.I have had these snails in a container and there were about 8 of them. I guess that's were all the empty snail shells were coming from. They have been moved to the front lawn now . Thanks for you help.

 

[pagojoe]

They're not mud whelks, but they are true buccinid whelks, Gemophos tinctus. They are known to eat barnacles in the wild, but they will certainly kill and eat other snails as well.

http://www.gastropods.com/8/Shell_3228.shtml

Cheers,



Don

 

[|FATHOM|]

Careful had some of those eating my margaritas