Sundial Snails

[chelskisw6]

I think these are what i have in my tank, they seem to be growing in numbers quickly.

I usually kill them whenever possible. Are these bad in any way? or am i just being too cautious?

Can someone post some pics, just to be sure we are talking about the same snail.

Cheers!

 

[matter1331]

sundials have a spiraled shell that is flattened and the colors usually alternate yellow/black/white, not necessarily in that order. If you have zoas then they are a problem as they prey on them. I'm not sure if they lay eggs in the colony (I'm guessing they do) or what the eggs would look like. I would just pull them out as you see them.

 

[chelskisw6]

its flat like a limpet?
i saw them on my zoos when i turned the lights on. i know what the eggs would look like, and ive been keeping an eye out for them. i also noticed a couple on my clam.

 

[matter1331]

here's a picture of one:

sundial snail

 

[chefferj]

I also have some of these snails in my tank, is there anything I can do to get rid of these

 

[matter1331]

all I know of is just picking them out by hand when you see them

 

[petoonia]

I pulled this sundial snail out of my tank awhile ago. So far I have'nt seen anymore.

 

[matter1331]

That doesn't look like a sundial to me. The colors are completely different. It could be a different species or possibly just a different color variant (if that's even possible)

 

[dc]

Petoonia, it does look like a sundial, colored a little funny, but has the cone shaped covering. Also some people mistake collinista(sp?) snails for sundials, they are kind of checkered, but much rounder. They are harmless.

 

[chefferj]

does anyone have a pic of these collinista snails?

 

[petoonia]

Its the second pic on the last row. They are really small.

http://melevsreef.com/id/snails.html

 

[Pufferpunk]

I pulled out dozens of collinista , till I found out they weren't sundials.

 

[Ooulophilia]

the zoanthid eating snails have a quite unique operculum (snail door), it is pointed on the end, when most are flat

 

[chelskisw6]

mine look more like collonista snails, but im taking them out when i see them anyway because at night they are chilling on my zoas, and thats either because zoas taste good, or just good company. either way, im not taking a risk.

 

[chefferj]

mine are collinistas thanks for the pics

 

[pagojoe]

Petoonia's snail is a sundial too, it's just a different species (and probably in a different genus from the ones you usually see). The ones that cause all the trouble in reef tanks are Heliacus species, typically Heliacus variegatus and Heliacus areola.

Cheers,



Don