mfinn
Surgeonfish
sundial snail
Jiddy's 220g MASTERPIECE!
- Thread starter Jiddy
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spongebob lover
flea whisperer
yeah it looks like one of those, i hope that picture is not from your tank finn
mfinn
Surgeonfish
I've collected a bunch of these snails. They usually come in on zoanthids.
Jiddy
Well-known member
The zoo's are the last thing ive added to my tank, i dont see a cone end thou, and whats the story behind these snails?
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
dood i believe they kill your zoos hmm i heard that before you put a zoo in your tank you should just in case give it a dip ... next time
dood
ohh and make sure there's no eggs on yoru rocks
hmm i heard that before you put a zoo in your tank you should just in case give it a dip ... next time dood
ohh and make sure there's no eggs on yoru rocks
Jiddy
Well-known member
i read about them, i dont think they are those, they would fit the profile of zoo hitch-hiker, but they seem to have a more defined patern, where my snails are all over the place, they dont have that cone..... ill watch my zoo's to make sure, do astrea's or turbos breed in tanks? and are they asexual?
heres another crappy shot, these things are tiny, so its hard
heres another crappy shot, these things are tiny, so its hard
Jiddy
Well-known member
And Gabby, i did a FW dip with my zoo's and shook "vigorously" to make sure any eggs fell off, i followed the directions on that one,lol
mfinn
Surgeonfish
They are zoanthid eaters.
And the freshwater dip is a very good thing to do before adding zoanthids to your tank.
And the freshwater dip is a very good thing to do before adding zoanthids to your tank.
mfinn
Surgeonfish
Any snail eggs or nudibranch eggs won't come off unless you peel them off.
Jiddy
Well-known member
Yea, i was afraid of some eggs, maybe that is why its been a month, hmmm. From the pictures the "hole" of the sundial is the outer edge of the shell, but on this the "hole" is under the shell, like a astrea kind of????
What should i do? I will spy on my zoo's tonite and make sure no one bothers them.....
What should i do? I will spy on my zoo's tonite and make sure no one bothers them.....
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
well i'd look behind your zoo's rock at night.. just in case or if you have tiny holes, and good thing that you did the dip (at least someone in here was smart enough to do that , not that i have those snails but still)
hmm may be your snails had some wild sex party and now you are seeing the consecuences i know i have.
A few months ago i had baby snails all over the sand, to bad i had flatworms at that time, so i siphon them .
(at least someone in here was smart enough to do that , not that i have those snails but still) hmm may be your snails had some wild sex party and now you are seeing the consecuences
i know i have.A few months ago i had baby snails all over the sand
, to bad i had flatworms at that time, so i siphon them .
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
hmm to bad linkster is not here, she had some kewl snail shell id website
NIKKI WHERE ARE YOU?
NIKKI WHERE ARE YOU?
Kensn
Well-known member
I borrowed Woodstock's post I found.
Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Of all of the coral predators this may perhaps be the most encountered by the reef aquarist. The Sundial snail (Heliacus Areola) has a very distinct pattern and is fairly easy to distinguish this species from other snails. The pattern almost resembles a checkerboard in some cases. At any rate these snails prey upon Zoanthus colonies and
often tuck themselves away tightly between polyps during the day. Like many of the predators the Heliacus Areola is also a nocturnal feeder and does tend to gorge itself on wiping out the entire colony, instead the consumption pace is a bit more steady. Gone unnoticed you may attribute the losses to natural causes. The snail makes a small hole at the base of the polyp and actually sucks out the contents. The remanding flesh of polyp typically decays and falls off shortly after. This tiny foe is not one pleasant addition if you prize your Zoanthus collection.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Of all of the coral predators this may perhaps be the most encountered by the reef aquarist. The Sundial snail (Heliacus Areola) has a very distinct pattern and is fairly easy to distinguish this species from other snails. The pattern almost resembles a checkerboard in some cases. At any rate these snails prey upon Zoanthus colonies and
often tuck themselves away tightly between polyps during the day. Like many of the predators the Heliacus Areola is also a nocturnal feeder and does tend to gorge itself on wiping out the entire colony, instead the consumption pace is a bit more steady. Gone unnoticed you may attribute the losses to natural causes. The snail makes a small hole at the base of the polyp and actually sucks out the contents. The remanding flesh of polyp typically decays and falls off shortly after. This tiny foe is not one pleasant addition if you prize your Zoanthus collection.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
you know, that snail reminds me a snake:shock:
Woodstock
I <3 clown fish!
Jiddy, your snail looks like a nerite to me... a harmless algae eater. Nerites usually like film algae. I have lots of them in my tank.
NaH2O
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2004
- Messages
- 8,568
As stated and shown in another pic, the tell tale sign of a sundial snail is the cone shaped operculum. I love this image (thanks TG!)
I agree that your snails appear to be a type of nerite.
Here is a link with a good pic of the underside of a nerite Nerites (Neritidae). You can see how the aperture in on the bottom. Another article by Shimek, which shows a diagram of the underside of the nerite, again, note the aperature: The Grazing Snails, Part II - Abalones, Limpets and Nerites
Here are some more examples
Here is a link (or two) to some thumbnails you can scroll through: Neritidae Neritinae
Neritidae Theodoxinae
A question was asked about breeding. You will find egg masses sometimes from, for example, cerith snails (squiggles on the glass or rock), nassarius on the glass (clear egg case with dots inside), nerite eggs resemble sesame seeds, and my trochus mass spawn in the water column. The chances that they make it to actual adulthood is small. I did get baby trochus from my mass spawn, as there was no argument seeing the real tiny trochus (about 3) with red striping....which I watched get larger as time passed. There is also a mini turbo snail that alot of hobbyists think are baby turbos, but they are actually that small. I have them all over my tank at night. Tiny Turbo. There is a possiblity that your snail is this, however, if I remember from your picture the shell has ridges? (insert Ruffles joke here). These tiny turbos (Macarene or Arene) appear to have a smooth surface to their shell.
Anyway, hope this helps. Another way to look at it, if you see them grazing on the rock surface or tank surface, then they are probably eating their food source (algaes). If they are eating a coral, then you've found their food source.
I agree that your snails appear to be a type of nerite.
Here is a link with a good pic of the underside of a nerite Nerites (Neritidae). You can see how the aperture in on the bottom. Another article by Shimek, which shows a diagram of the underside of the nerite, again, note the aperature: The Grazing Snails, Part II - Abalones, Limpets and Nerites
Here are some more examples
Here is a link (or two
) to some thumbnails you can scroll through: Neritidae NeritinaeNeritidae Theodoxinae
A question was asked about breeding. You will find egg masses sometimes from, for example, cerith snails (squiggles on the glass or rock), nassarius on the glass (clear egg case with dots inside), nerite eggs resemble sesame seeds, and my trochus mass spawn in the water column. The chances that they make it to actual adulthood is small. I did get baby trochus from my mass spawn, as there was no argument seeing the real tiny trochus (about 3) with red striping....which I watched get larger as time passed. There is also a mini turbo snail that alot of hobbyists think are baby turbos, but they are actually that small. I have them all over my tank at night. Tiny Turbo. There is a possiblity that your snail is this, however, if I remember from your picture the shell has ridges? (insert Ruffles joke here). These tiny turbos (Macarene or Arene) appear to have a smooth surface to their shell.
Anyway, hope this helps. Another way to look at it, if you see them grazing on the rock surface or tank surface, then they are probably eating their food source (algaes). If they are eating a coral, then you've found their food source
.
Jiddy
Well-known member
Thanks Nikki, im pretty sure that they are nerites and pretty positive they arent sundials!
I cant until my order gets here today! I ordered some zoo frag packs 3days ago so i could come home to some spreading (deployment) i thought that would be sweet, and they were suppose to come today, but one of things i ordered wasnt in stock, my buddy John called me and left a message since i was in class, wanting to know what i wanted in exchange, so i have to wait another day, NO WAIT, John just threw in some Blasto's for me and shipped it last night, so it will be here today!in 3.5hrs! Yea, first Krish's gift now John's package, boy it feels like Xmas!
I cant until my order gets here today! I ordered some zoo frag packs 3days ago so i could come home to some spreading (deployment) i thought that would be sweet, and they were suppose to come today, but one of things i ordered wasnt in stock, my buddy John called me and left a message since i was in class, wanting to know what i wanted in exchange, so i have to wait another day, NO WAIT, John just threw in some Blasto's for me and shipped it last night, so it will be here today!in 3.5hrs! Yea, first Krish's gift now John's package, boy it feels like Xmas!
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
lol Jiddy bom bom that's really great news !!!
man you are getting spoiled all over , well i'm glad they are not sundials and don't forget to post some pictures when you get your stuff ok .
!!!man you are getting spoiled all over
, well i'm glad they are not sundials and don't forget to post some pictures when you get your stuff ok .
Jiddy
Well-known member
Of course ill take some shots!
Just got my package a while ago and seen that my boy John threw in some other stuff as well, i see i got some fire&ice zoo's and those pimp white/yellow ones, but anyways, before all that (im waiting for my wife to get home before i add them to my tank, so the pics will be then, lol) i have a few questions!
1. Should i turn my lights off to add the zoo's and the shrimp? the shrimp is tiny and my YT might eat him? what do you think
2. I noticed some bristle worms in the bags with zoo's, i got the big one out but i can see teeny tiny worms on the bottom of the jar with the zoo's, ill fresh water dip & jerk rapidly, any other suggestions?
3. I noticed a worm-like creature that was orange and had a "stringy" head, like a feather-duster,i know feather duster are worms, but are they orange or was this something else?
Pics soon
-jiddy
Just got my package a while ago and seen that my boy John threw in some other stuff as well, i see i got some fire&ice zoo's and those pimp white/yellow ones, but anyways, before all that (im waiting for my wife to get home before i add them to my tank, so the pics will be then, lol) i have a few questions!
1. Should i turn my lights off to add the zoo's and the shrimp? the shrimp is tiny and my YT might eat him? what do you think
2. I noticed some bristle worms in the bags with zoo's, i got the big one out but i can see teeny tiny worms on the bottom of the jar with the zoo's, ill fresh water dip & jerk rapidly, any other suggestions?
3. I noticed a worm-like creature that was orange and had a "stringy" head, like a feather-duster,i know feather duster are worms, but are they orange or was this something else?
Pics soon
-jiddy
mfinn
Surgeonfish
You might want to turn off the main lights when you add your new critters. Give the shrimp time to hide. If you do a fresh water dip, make you bring the temp in the container up to your tank temp and then make sure the fresh water is the same temp and raise the ph to the same as your tank water.
