Would a Cone snail kill a tiger conch?

[thelawnwrangler]

I lost 2 tiger conch this week. I haven't been adding algae to feed should I be?

I am usually very careful about research and what I add to my reef, but I though a snail what could go wrong. The LFS kind of said this might kill another snail, but I can't remember if they call it a cone snail. I will attach a picture of what it looks like.

 

[Ron Reefman]

After you find out more about cone snails, maybe you'll be more inclined to do the research first.

There are a variety of cones throughout the world, some 600+ versions and all are venomous. Some are mild, like a bee sting and a few are strong enough to cause death in a human. I'd remove it and be careful handling it until or unless you know specifically which species it is and how dangerous it might be to even a human. I'd consider using some kind of tongs or other device that keeps you away from the shell. It may be almost harmless, but then again...

I've seen, and picked up, one cone snail here in Florida. The animal inside was very cool. I didn't know about them at the time and now when I see a cone shell that I think is empty, I'm still very, very careful about how I deal with it. We do collect them because our Halloween Hermit crab uses cone shells for his home. Over the last 6 or 7 years it's grown and we give it bigger and bigger Cone shells to use.

http://www.wild-facts.com/2013/marbled-cone-snail/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/wilderness_cone_snail_sting/article_em.htm

http://www.marinelifephotography.com/marine/mollusks/gastropods/cones/cones.htm

 

[dendrite]

After you find out more about cone snails, maybe you'll be more inclined to do the research first.

There are a variety of cones throughout the world, some 600+ versions and all are venomous. Some are mild, like a bee sting and a few are strong enough to cause death in a human. I'd remove it and be careful handling it until or unless you know specifically which species it is and how dangerous it might be to even a human. I'd consider using some kind of tongs or other device that keeps you away from the shell. It may be almost harmless, but then again...

I've seen, and picked up, one cone snail here in Florida. The animal inside was very cool. I didn't know about them at the time and now when I see a cone shell that I think is empty, I'm still very, very careful about how I deal with it. We do collect them because our Halloween Hermit crab uses cone shells for his home. Over the last 6 or 7 years it's grown and we give it bigger and bigger Cone shells to use.

http://www.wild-facts.com/2013/marbled-cone-snail/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/wilderness_cone_snail_sting/article_em.htm

http://www.marinelifephotography.com/marine/mollusks/gastropods/cones/cones.htm

amen! micro liter for micro liter some of the most toxic venom in the animal kingdom

 

[pagojoe]

Strombus luhuanus can look a lot like Conus tessulatus at a glance, but there are some easy distinguishing characteristics. The "Tiger Conch" has the strombid notch near the anterior tip of the shell, and typical conch eyes, with the dark pupil. The lip expands somewhat and is not parallel to the rest of the shell. The Conus shell has a lip that is parallel with the rest of the shell. This cone is not dangerous, though. It's a worm eater.

 

[pagojoe]

...and no, I've never known of a Cone Snail killing a conch. I've watched them eat a lot of other stuff, though. What I have seen kill conchs repeatedly are Olive Snails. They have a pouch that looks like a slit on the bottom of the foot, and will engulf a conch snail and suffocate it. Chances are better that is what's in your tank, if you actually have something killing your conchs.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

...and no, I've never known of a Cone Snail killing a conch. I've watched them eat a lot of other stuff, though. What I have seen kill conchs repeatedly are Olive Snails. They have a pouch that looks like a slit on the bottom of the foot, and will engulf a conch snail and suffocate it. Chances are better that is what's in your tank, if you actually have something killing your conchs.

I am starting to fear I might have starved them- can I supplement feed the conch?

The snail I have that might be a cone snail was probably attracted by rotting conch

 

[pagojoe]

Dunno, olives will both kill them and scavenge them after they are rotting. Cone snails won't scavenge, and don't leave any meat in the shell to rot after they finish extracting the animal. Does your snail of interest look like this?

http://www.gastropods.com/7/Shell_177.shtml

 

[sadra]

hi there
do you know how can i buy a cone snail?

 

[thelawnwrangler]

No - I am thinking mine might just be a cowire

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[SantaMonica]

You would think the lfs would know about things like cones.

 

[LJC6780]

hi there
do you know how can i buy a cone snail?

Why do you want a cone snail?!


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[Hadla]

Why do you want a cone snail?!


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To eat damn oenone fulgida worms. If that's what they do anyway...

 

[pagojoe]

Conus vexillum eats them. Conus imperialis will eat the smaller bristle worms, but I'm not sure they could eat O. fulgida (probably could eat small ones). Conus vexillum grows to over 7.5 inches (almost 200mm).

http://www.gastropods.com/5/Shell_765.shtml

 

[pagojoe]

As for local fish stores, they probably know less than you do about cone snails.

 

[Hadla]

Ok so I should go with a vexillum for fulgida worms? Someone else told me c regius

 

[pagojoe]

Well, the difference in C. regius (the Atlantic counterpart to C. imperialis) and C. vexillum is how big the prey can be. C. regius and imperialis are limited to fairly small polychaetes, probably including juvenile or small Oenone and related species. That, and the fact that C. regius are more readily available, while the Pacific species might not be. Conus vexillum is not at all rare, however, and should be available from an Indo-Pacific wholesaler to most local stores. A big C. vexillum (adults average 4 to 5 inches) can eat an eunicid that is over half an inch in diameter, maybe 20mm. That's not as big as they get, but it's still a pretty big worm.

 

[Hadla]

Wow, yeah the ones I've seen are only ever about half a cm in diameter or smaller! Thanks so much! You've given me hope

Will definitely invest in the smallest I can find so I'll be able to keep it for many years!