Snail ID

[bjbass]

I had this snail in my old tank awhile ago that I would like to get another one similar. I think it might have been a cone snail? He was my favorite snail that I got from a LFS and he met his demise in my power head. He was always actively moving around and he was awesome.

I know this isn't the best picture, but one of only a few I have.

 

[bjbass]

I forgot to mention his size. He was very small. Maybe about 1/4"-1/2" big. I may still have his shell somewhere.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Nassarius snail, they live in the sand and then pop out like a bunch of zombies attacking food floating around the bottom of the tank. Mostly out at night but the zombie thing happens with lights on and is a riot to watch. These are my favorite snails. They have big one called Tonga Nassarius and are about 2" or so, but the little ones stay small.

 

[C.Eymann]

looks more like a welk or strombus, doesn't really look like a nassarius to me, could be wrong though.

 

[pagojoe]

Not a cone snail. I'm pretty sure it's a columbellid, or Dove Snail. They are harmless.


Don

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Nassarius and whelks have the same style of shell. You can only tell the difference by seeing the animal and if it has a "trap door" piece of shell covering the tail of it and mottled skin its a whelk. Otherwise they are pretty much identical.

 

[C.Eymann]

Nassarius and whelks have the same style of shell. You can only tell the difference by seeing the animal and if it has a "trap door" piece of shell covering the tail of it and mottled skin its a whelk. Otherwise they are pretty much identical.

not really, the opening of nassarius snails shells isn't flared out like the shell in the OP.

 

[C.Eymann]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rs/index.php

 

[bjbass]

Thanks for the replies! Yes, he was not a nassarius as he didn't bury in the sand. He cruised around constantly on top of the sand and on the glass. He was awesome. I will check those other snails to see if that was it!

 

[bjbass]

Snail ID

I looked at the pictures of strombus snails and I think that is it! He had those awesome eyes that stick out!

One issue is through that he never seemed to go into the sand just was always on the glass or moving quickly across the sand. Could that still be a strombus?

 

[C.Eymann]

I looked at the pictures of stombus snails and I think that is it! He had those awesome eyes that stick out!

glad I could help, they are actually a type of conch I think, some sell them as mini conch's

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I looked at the pictures of strombus snails and I think that is it! He had those awesome eyes that stick out!

One issue is through that he never seemed to go into the sand just was always on the glass or moving quickly across the sand. Could that still be a strombus?

Not a cone snail. I'm pretty sure it's a columbellid, or Dove Snail. They are harmless.


Don

Don is our snail expert, so yes, a columbellid snail, harmless.