Help ID my snail please

[Nana Chloropsis]

I believe this tiny little guy came in with a couple of new pieces of LR. Very pretty, has a white body with black spots. The shell is nice too,white with interesting black markings, but I am worried that it might be a coral eater. Help?

 

[DTECH07]

The Grazing Snails, Part I - Turbo, Trochus, Astraea, and Kin by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com alittle light reading and it's a Nassarius Snail, They are Reef Safe but love the Algae.

 

[Nana Chloropsis]

Mine looks a bit different than your pic...I mean, this baby is pure white with pure black markings. If it's a type of Nassarius, very cool!

 

[DTECH07]

take a looky here:ranger: they come in MANY colors. Anytime
Nassarius Snail Pictures - Google Search

 

[returnofsid]

I believe it's a Strombus snail. I have thousands in my tanks. They're one of the few species that successfully breed in our tanks

 

[Nana Chloropsis]

I dumped him back into the tank, but will take another pic when I find him again, next time with shell opening upwards. If Strombus, then I would expect it to stay just under a half inch in size? I would need a Mrs. Strombus to have the hundreds of babies too.

I would like to get a positive ID but really just wanted some reassurance that the snail wasn't a pest of some sort. Thank you all!

 

[DTECH07]

Sorry about that, I was sure until the last posting.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I believe it's a Strombus snail. I have thousands in my tanks. They're one of the few species that successfully breed in our tanks

Agree I have a pair that even live in my overflow keeping it clean...er. The offspring make it down into the sump. Great snails :>)

 

[dtd87]

I like to pretend my Nassarius Snails are little sand dwelling submarines.

 

[returnofsid]

A good way to tell the difference, between Nassarius and Strombus, will be in their behavior.

Nassarius snails rarely leave the sand bed and even less often crawl up glass.

Strombus will venture all over your rock work, and come out on your glass.

 

[Nana Chloropsis]

This tank I found him in is BB and I only see him on the rockwork very rarely since he hides all day. He is either a very unhappy Nassarius or a Strombus afraid of the glass. I will pop him into the sandbed tank next time I see him and see if he appears happier... might need counseling... lol

 

[NWDiver]

It looks like Columbellid snail. I have a bunch in my tank as well. If you want a few more, I can bring them down tomorrow. They reproduce rather quickly in my system.
They have been sold as strombus snails, but strombus are really conchs if I remember correctly. I read about them a while ago when they started showing up in my system. I probably have hundreds now
As Sid notes, they hangout on the glass or rock, almost never see them in\on the sand.

-Todd

 

[NWDiver]

Ah, I found the article... The Grazing Snails, Part III: Conchs, Ceriths, Cowries, and Columbellids by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Nana Chloropsis]

You guys are all very helpful! And Todd, why yes, i would love a few snails. If they are the same type as mine, possibly there'll be a Mrs. in the bunch. See you at the meeting!

 

[NWDiver]

Sorry Nana, I just now saw this...
Remind me before the next get together and I will bring you some
Good to meet you and Mr. Chloropsis on Saturday.

-Todd