Snail ID

[Questin]

I would like to find out what type of snail this is and if it is bad. I have had at least 2 of these in my 55 full of Zoas for near 4 months if not more.

Thanks ahead of time, for the help.

 

[LobsterMan]

I can't tell you what kind of snail it is, but I would watch it and see if it seems to be harming anything.

 

[Questin]

Its been months and I have not seen it do any harm.

 

[pagojoe]

It's a fasciolariid, member of the Horse Conch/Tulip/Spindle family, and it will be a mollusc eater. I don't recognize the species right off, but I'll try to find a species-level ID for you when I get home. Can you tell me how big it is, and do you have any idea where it originated?

Cheers,



Don

 

[Questin]

Its an inch long and 2 of them just showed up in my tank one day. The tank has been up for years

 

[Fischer's Angel]

Hey pagojoe - this is one of those molluscs I never figured out how to feed - I had the Hawaiian ones F.sandvicensis, and L.nodatus and I never could get them to eat.
Do you know if those specific ones are also mollusciverous and what species in particular they feed on? I always figured they fed on polychaetes or something.

 

[pagojoe]

Hey F.A.,

I don't know which species they feed on, but I wouldn't think it would be that hard to find out. Some related species will readily jump on the other snails you have in your tank, kill them, and eat them. A related species (Triplofusus/Pleuroploca gigantea) seems to prefer conchs, and will scavenge on them if they are fresh dead or finish them off if they are injured. There are very few conchs (i.e., probably none) in most of the habitat of F. sandvicensis and L. nodatus. Both are subtidal, one a sand/silt dweller and the other a reef dweller. If you could catch enough different snails and clams from each snail's habitat, you could probably find out the preferred food in short order. Both will certainly be predators, but I suppose it's possible they could feed on something other than molluscs. I'll ask some of the U of H guys if they know, and get back to ya.

Cheers,


Don

 

[Questin]

Looks like Latirus bayeri is the closest

 

[pagojoe]

Yeah, that is the closest pic I could find while zipping through Eddie Hardy's site, too. They only reason I didn't suggest it is that there's a very slim chance your snails came from Brazil. If it's a Florida/Caribbean snail, chances are probably better that it's a variation of Latirus angulatus, although your snail looks to be "skinnier" than normal for the species.

http://www.gastropods.com/6/Shell_11746.html

There is also at least one similar species from the Philippines. It's sometimes considered to be a form of Peristernia ustulata, and alternately assigned to several different species that are probably all incorrect. I'm not sure what the correct assignment should be. (I bought about 50 of the shells from a Philippine dealer in hopes of sorting it out, but I haven't so far.) You might also search for Fasciolariidae on www.conchology.be ... Guido often has some unusual species listed, and if this is a Philippine species, you may find it there. I'll check it myself when I get a chance.

If it's not Latirus bayeri, it certainly is very similar.

Cheers,



Don

 

[Questin]

Great info, thank you. If I got this from a coral I put into the tank, it is most likey the Florida aera because I have a lot of Ricordia and it's one of the few corals I buy anymore. The tank is full of Zoas and I dont buy them much now.

That concholory site is sweet, it does seem like Latirus pearsoni is the closest I could find on that one, but I have never looked at shells before so I would not know what I am doing.

I can deal with these guys being this small now, but is this something that will get very large later? I don't have a tank for really large snails.

 

[pagojoe]

Nah, they won't get much larger. And yes, Latirus pearsoni is one of the species that I was talking about (with snails similar to yours being called that), but the coloration is normally different, and there are a few other subtle differences. It looks like yours might have the dark coloration at the anterior tip of the shell (purple or blackish), like some of the more elongated shells that have been considered to be Peristernia ustulata. There are only a couple of true experts on this family in the world, and both of them are very busy, but I may see if I can get one of them to drop by and look at your snails.

Cheers,



Don

 

[Questin]

well that would be great if they have the time. My camera is only a phone camera, but if more pictures are needed, I am sure I can get them.

Now that I understand that the shell is the fingerprint, here is a better pic of that.