Australian Elegance Coral eating my snails!!

[auqua man]

I have a new Australian Elegance coral in my reef. I was watching the tank the other night after I added some Nassarius snails and to my horror the Elegance coral grabed one snail and poped it into it's mouth. First I thought it might kill the coral because of the shell. Then after feeding the next day- out came the snails again, and again the coral scooped one up and put it in it's mouth.This morning I saw 2 empty nassarius snail shells under the coral.:shock: I have never heard of this before. In the picture you can see the snail going into it's mouth. I ran for the camera as fast as I could the coral wasted no time in swallowing the snail. I have upped the feeding on this coral since.
View attachment 23317

View attachment 23318

 

[auqua man]

Elegance Coral eating cleanup crew

Ok it has been a week and the count is 5 Nassarius snails 1 turbo snail. My Elegance coral is cleaning up my cleanup crew. I have been target feeding the coral but it eats anything that comes it's way. Has anyone heard of this before? I did do some reasearch before getting this coral and I never read anything like this before. It is a snail graveyard around this coral now.

 

[james734]

Not sure what to say about it..

 

[Reefergeorge]

A video would be nice.

 

[Jim Hart]

try lifting the coral up off the sand? and continue to target feed it? not sure.... it must be starving or just extremely hungry.

 

[Jim Hart]

I have seen my purple seabae anemone eat a snail though.

 

[trido]

Sounds like you have a nice strong healthy coral with a big appetite. I agree with lifting it off the sand. It may still get the occasional turbo but even then you just have to say "survival of the fittest".

 

[NC2WA]

auqua man,

where does one purchase an austraila elegance coral?? online or lfs???

I would like to get one by the end of the year before they stop exporting them to the States.

thanks
kirk

 

[auqua man]

try lifting the coral up off the sand? and continue to target feed it? not sure.... it must be starving or just extremely hungry.

Thanks, I will try to lift it up more but it swells up very large in the day and it can bend and move around. I keep it away from the rock out in a open spot of sand in the tank. It cant be starving lol its eating every thing it touches, plus I target feed it regulary "shrimp ect..."

 

[auqua man]

Sounds like you have a nice strong healthy coral with a big appetite. I agree with lifting it off the sand. It may still get the occasional turbo but even then you just have to say "survival of the fittest".

I think your right it seems quite strong and healthy and the appetite is amazing:shock: It has turned into the black hole of the tank the shells just keep piling up.:lol: I cant belive how big the mouth can open up. And I am not sure how it can eat a snail in the shell either.

 

[auqua man]

auqua man,

where does one purchase an austraila elegance coral?? online or lfs???

I would like to get one by the end of the year before they stop exporting them to the States.

thanks
kirk

I got it at my lfs but they are quite rare here.
These are some pictures I took a couple days ago.
View attachment 23411

View attachment 23412

 

[billaweed]

those are beautiful corals

 

[JRBear5658]

NC2WA I have seen them at Bridges pets in Lake stevens I would call and talk to Jeff he would be able to tell you

 

[Sherman]

I also see them more regularly here in CA. My LFS picks a couple up every time he heads to the wholesalers, so I know they're readily available at this point. The Australian ones are more expensive, but they survive. IIRC, he was asking $90 for a pretty large sized one (main body as large as my hand).

 

[NC2WA]

JRBear,

Is Bridge Pets across the street from Reef Mystique? If so, I know where this place is, otherwise, I will have to look up the location.

thanks
kirk

 

[JRBear5658]

Yeah that is the place, I always stop by there before or after stopping at Reef Mystique

 

[Damsel13]

HOW many mouths does that coral have?

 

[Reeferdude]

Looks like it has 3. Could you imagine the damage that thing could do if it had one big one...

 

[auqua man]

HOW many mouths does that coral have?

Right now it has three but it is growing a fourth.
one more mouth to feed