snail need id

[fredflinstone]

Hi,

I have 3 of these snails. They are named nass snail and feather duster
in my gallery. they are pretty aggresive. They were all over my feather duster. Now they are after my small crab. Please let me know if this is a normal nassarius snail.
thanks

 

[SuperNerd]

Was the feather duster and crab injured or dying? I have two tongan nassarius snails (I think that is what you also have) and they never go after anything that is healthy.

 

[fredflinstone]

As soon as I placed the feather duster or the crab, the snail was all over them. Esp for the feather duster, the snail was all over his mouth. shaking him.

 

[SuperNerd]

Well if the feather duster was out of its tube it was vulnerable. Hermits, fish, and bristleworms will go after tubeless feather dusters...not just nassarius snails. If it is out of its tube then it was not happy and/or was dying.

What type of crab is it, how long did you take to acclimate it before you put it in the tank and was it healthy when you bought it?

 

[fredflinstone]

The crab was heaslthy when I got it. It was a little colorful crab. I accilimated it for 30 minutes and then slowly added tank water and then let him in.

 

[SuperNerd]

Hmm...well most likely the crab was on its way out. Healthy animals usually aren't attacked unless maybe the nassarius is starving to death and makes a last ditch effort to get some food. They are not detritus eaters...they eat carrion/ dead or dying animals and meaty fish foods.

What was the SG of the water it was in and the water of your tank?

 

[fredflinstone]

Once my cardinal fish died and over nite only the bones lasted. what can I exactly feed those snails.

 

[SuperNerd]

Yeah they, along with bristleworms and other scavengers will make short work of a dead animal.

They will eat most of the things you feed your fish.
Formula foods, aqua yums/ocean nutrition, flake food, fish/clam/oyster flesh...basically anything that has meat (saltwater meat of course). The food people feed aggressive fish will probably work as well.

Mine eat whatever I feed my fish (if they can get to it in time...which is why I sometimes target feed the snails just to make sure they're getting enough to eat).

They will most likely eat ANY of the products listed here: http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_fish_food_ocean_nutrition_frozen.asp?CartId=