Snail infestation????

[onux20]

What started as several (8-10) small (~1cm) snails has turned in to an

[lanman]

I haven't heard a lot of reports of harmful snails. If you can raise them to a big enough size, maybe you can sell them. A nice macro photo would be interesting!

 

I've been kind of hoping to breed a bunch of snails in my refugium, but it just doesn't seem to happen.

 

bob

[davelin315]

My first thought was pyramid snails, but when you said they were beige, I'm starting to think cerith snails. Pyramid snails are a pest and prey on molluscs, their favorite being clams, then snails after that, but they are white and don't get very large, nor do they really present themselves on the glass, but rather stick to the underside of rock and their prey. Based on what you're saying, I'm guessing that they are some sort of algae grazer or I would think they wouldn't be on the glass. Do you have ceriths? Try and get a look at it's mouth (I know, tiny!) with a magnifying glass. If they've got a rasp then it's probably a cerith of some sort, if not, then you might want to consider moving them out or getting a more detailed identification. One other thing that indicates to me that they are not pyramid snails is the size, pyramid snails tend to not be that large.

[onux20]

My first thought was pyramid snails, but when you said they were beige, I'm starting to think cerith snails. Pyramid snails are a pest and prey on molluscs, their favorite being clams, then snails after that, but they are white and don't get very large, nor do they really present themselves on the glass, but rather stick to the underside of rock and their prey. Based on what you're saying, I'm guessing that they are some sort of algae grazer or I would think they wouldn't be on the glass. Do you have ceriths? Try and get a look at it's mouth (I know, tiny!) with a magnifying glass. If they've got a rasp then it's probably a cerith of some sort, if not, then you might want to consider moving them out or getting a more detailed identification. One other thing that indicates to me that they are not pyramid snails is the size, pyramid snails tend to not be that large.

If I have some time next weekend I will take a few in to a LFS and see what the verdict is. I have no ceriths, or shall I say I did not buy any, in the tank just Turbos and Nassarius.

 

Ron

[treesprite]

I wish I would see baby snails in my tank. I see spawning all the time and eggs on the glass all the time. Since I put nerites in teh tank at work there are now eggs in there but still not seeing baby snails.

[onux20]

Here is the best pic I can get. Not meant for ID purposes just to give you an idea of how many are in tank. This is just the front glass.

 

Every little dot is a snail!

Ron

Edited May 13, 2008 by onux20

[davelin315]

Are any clustered on the bottoms of your snails? If so, I would say predatory and you need to get them out. To be honest, the picture (I know, not meant for identification) makes them look like pyramid snails, but I have never seen mine on the glass.

[stevearlen]

Please see http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?s=&a...st&p=188313

[onux20]

Are any clustered on the bottoms of your snails? If so, I would say predatory and you need to get them out.

Just gave a quick peak at one of my Turbo and I dont see any hitchhikers. They really dont SEEM predatory.

I checked out the link. The main difference is these guys stay out all day. They particularly like the glass area where the return water hits the front. They seem to gather there for most of the day. I have also noticed them cruising on the rock too. Hopefully by the weekend I can get an expert to look at them.

 

Thanks for looking and commenting. Keep 'em coming...

Ron

[lanman]

Here is the best pic I can get. Not meant for ID purposes just to give you an idea of how many are in tank. This is just the front glass.

 

Every little dot is a snail!

Ron

 

You don't need a snail expert... you just need a camera expert. Get someone with a good macro camera to take some pictures of them.

 

Meanwhile - looks cool!

 

bob

[jhn]

Could be rissoid snails (look very similiar to pyram snails), which are harmless hitchhikers on live rock and reproduce in our tanks.

Edited May 14, 2008 by jhn

[onux20]

Could be rissoid snails (look very similiar to pyram snails), which are harmless hitchhikers on live rock and reproduce in our tanks.

Thanks

 

You don't need a snail expert... you just need a camera expert. Get someone with a good macro camera to take some pictures of them.

 

Meanwhile - looks cool!

 

bob

Lanman, I dont have one of those super-whamadine cameras so this is the best I can do! Hopefully the question will be anwered by the begining of next week. I will keep you posted.

Ron

[onux20]

Okay today was the day. I went to two LFS to get an id on the snails. The first says, "They are definately NOT pyramid snails."

 

Can you guess what the second expert said?

 

Just my luck!

 

The one thing they did agree on is the addition of a 6-line wrasse. Hadn't planned on getting one of those. I read they may eat ornamental shrimp. Would it be a good idea to add it to the tank with my cleaner shrimp?

 

Well, if I have a chance I may go for a third opinion.

 

Ron

[Jon Lazar]

Do they look like these?

 

 

If so, they're possibly collonista snails, a beneficial grazer that reproduces readily in reef tanks.

Dr. Shimek mentions them in an old article in Reefkeeping: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php

 

In general, snails have a specific diet and are not omnivores. If you've seen them congregating on the aquarium glass eating algae there, it's unlikely they'll eat your other critters.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Jon

[AQUACO]

Hello,

 

Thanks for stopping in today. Im sorry that you got "conflicting reports". I am still convinced that they are predatory.

 

Here is some info I found.. They look identical to the snails next to the ruler..

 

On the other hand they maybe Rissoids....very hard to tell. Having kept many clams I have seen Pyramids, yes sometimes they are beige in color.

 

Kind Regards,

 

AQUACO

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php

[onux20]

Hello,

 

Thanks for stopping in today. Im sorry that you got "conflicting reports". I am still convinced that they are predatory.

 

Here is some info I found.. They look identical to the snails next to the ruler..

 

On the other hand they maybe Rissoids....very hard to tell. Having kept many clams I have seen Pyramids, yes sometimes they are beige in color.

 

Kind Regards,

 

AQUACO

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php

No worries about the conflicting reports.

The snails I have are not as tapered as the ones pictured in the article. Which I hope means they are not pyramid snails. They seem to just hang out and graze on the glass and rock. I have seen them around a couple of corals but they pay it no more attention than anything else in the tank. For now I think I am going to let things go. I may start thinning the herd though. They reproduce like no ones business!!!!

 

Thanks for taking the time to help me this afternoon and again with the post.

Ron

 

 

 

Do they look like these?

 

 

If so, they're possibly collonista snails, a beneficial grazer that reproduces readily in reef tanks.

Dr. Shimek mentions them in an old article in Reefkeeping: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/index.php

 

In general, snails have a specific diet and are not omnivores. If you've seen them congregating on the aquarium glass eating algae there, it's unlikely they'll eat your other critters.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Jon

They are not quite as rounded as those pictured. Thanks for the post and the info.

ron

Edited May 18, 2008 by onux20

[Rascal]

In general, snails have a specific diet and are not omnivores. If you've seen them congregating on the aquarium glass eating algae there, it's unlikely they'll eat your other critters.

 

Agree 100% with this. If they are congregating on the glass, they are not there for the view. They are feeding on the algae film, which is on your rocks as well. The population will stabilize at a level commensurate with the food supply.

 

No worries. In fact, count your blessings.

[hbh]

I just said to myself " I need more snails to eat algae!" Any chance you'll be near Giathersburg anytime soon? I'll gladly take a few!

Edited May 21, 2008 by hbh

[onux20]

I just said to myself " I need more snails to eat algae!" Any chance you'll be near Giathersburg anytime soon? I'll gladly take a few!

Actually, We may be headed to Ohio this weekend. The problem is we are probably leaving at zero-dark-thirty Sat morining in order to miss traffic. So if you are up and about around 530am on Sat, I will be happy to bring a few your way. Let me know....

 

Latest update on the snails. Split decison from the experts, 2-1, rules they are not harmful.

Ron

[Sharkb8]

Hey, must be snail breeding time again. I had these pop up the last two weeks or so as well. They come out when the main lights turn off and the "evening lights" are on. Mine definitely eat algea because I have a lot of it on the glass and wherever these guys are, there's a nice round clear area where they've grazed. My guess, and hope, is that they are turbo fry. I hav scraped the glass, knocked them off, then they just come right back the next day onto the glass again. Mine are similar with whitish half-shell looking blob and a beige inside, rounded oval in shape, not pointed or arrow-like. I have dozens on the glass, which means probably more in the sand, etc. And I have a melanarus wrasse but it just ignores them (and this wrasse is a voracious eater).