What Are Zebra Conches?

[teddscau]

Okay, so I was planning on buying some toothed conches for my tank, but then my supplier suggested zebra conches since they look cooler. Thing is, I have no clue what they look like, and I can't find any info about them online. Does anybody know anything about these guys?


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Okay, so according to my research they are most likely Conomurex fasciatus, commonly known as the lined conch. Apparently they're native to the Red Sea (and perhaps some other places), and were eaten by ancient peoples. My supplier said the "zebra conch" was super rare, so...maybe?

 

[Pslreefer]

It's a striped conch

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[pagojoe]

Maybe. That's the problem with using "supplier" names, they just fabricate them as an aid to marketing. My first experience with this was one who was telling me about "zebra conchs," and I said, "I don't know what that is. Canarium mutabile zebriolatus?" He said he didn't know, so he showed me. They were Tiger Cowries. I said, "That's a Tiger Cowry, Cypraea tigris." He said, "Yeah, we call them Zebra Conchs...." So, he may be talking about a Conomurex, or he may be talking about Engina mendicaria, or he may be talking about the real "zebra conch," the zebriolatus form of Canarium mutabile, which is actually a true conch...or he may be talking about something totally different.

 

[pagojoe]

My guess is that it's something other than this, but who knows:

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_1350.shtml

 

[teddscau]

Thanks guys . I'll have to get him to send some photos when he goes to the wholesaler. It's annoying when they don't write what species it is (heck, I'd even appreciate it if they guessed at what genera they belong to).

 

[pagojoe]

Yeah, I sympathize. By the way, Conomurex fasciatus is pretty rare, and as far as I know, they are not generally collected for the aquarium market.