Whelk in sump?..where?

[allendehl]

Hello guys,

It seems I got a whelk snail in my tank from the LR. Is it a good idea to dump it in the sump?
I believe they are carnivores so they could serve a purpose being down there.

If so, where in the sump? I have the normal one that comes with the reefer 350, pic here:

https://goo.gl/images/QsXBh8

The only compartment that is partially closed is the intake compartment but it eventually can roam around the entire thing if it climbs the walls (very likely)

 

[Sk8r]

Middle chamber will be fine.

 

[allendehl]

Middle chamber will be fine.

Do you mean the skimmer chamber?...Any chances it will go into the skimmer and cause trouble?

 

[Sk8r]

How big is it? Tiny strombus grazers look whelk-ish, but are quite good cleaners and never grow much bigger than your little fingernail. Those actually can get into a pump...but in general, I have never had but one do it. And that was a pretty easy fix: pump stopped, I disassembled pump, removed demised snail, reassembled pump and had no further trouble. https://www.google.com/search?q=strombus+grazer&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYwK_xqNrWAhVlVWMKHSiFA6oQsAQILQ&biw=1366&bih=659

 

[allendehl]

Mine is like about 3/4 of an inch and I do believe is a whelk. See pic below with the pretty tatooed neck and the covered tail.

 

[mcgyvr]

yes there is always a chance it can get over the inlet to the skimmer,etc.. but its not going to cause and harm..

and yes thats a whelk.. As long as you don't have clams (and don't ever plan on them) you can put it right into your display tank..

 

[Sk8r]

I'm FAR more worried about that strand of caulerpa (tank-taking plague) that shows in that picture. Scrub that off any rock where it appears, dip that side of the rock into hydrogen peroxide (your neighborhood drugstore) rinse that area thoroughly, replace in tank. That stuff is horrid.

 

[bobt2]

I have a few whelks in my tank.i can't see any issues.

 

[sean357]

Have to agree on the Caulerpa, even if you can keep up with the removal to keep it from overtaking your tank, one day it goes sexual and you wake up on a Saturday to a milky white tank crash and have to skip the paintball excursion planned for your brothers birthday to change water all day (happened to me years ago).

 

[EdgeN]

I'd toss it... Out of sight out of mind... FWIW I found a Nerite snail on the ground. Hmm...

 

[kfisc]

I have a few whelks in my tank.i can't see any issues.

For many tanks, they may be fine. One of the big tricks to reefkeeping is figuring out who will make a good tankmate. There's nothing quite like the feeling of spending hard-earned pay on a pricey clam only to find a clam shell several days later.

If nothing in your tank is prey for whelks, then you'll be fine. And ditto with what Sk8r mentioned re, the caulerpa: I remember when it was considered quite stylish to have it leafing up everywhere as nutrient control (= getting rid of nitrates). It really doesn't work very well.