Pyramid Snails or possibly Rissoids?

First off I may be worrying over nothing. LOL. I realize that. I'm still pretty freakin new!!

But I think I may have some of these running around my tank.. I've seen one that looked like a pyramid on a margarita snail a couple weeks back but thought it was nothing to worry about just a tiny snail.. Then he died a few days later. Today I found one on a stomatella snail this morning and picked it off and kept it and found a post about pyramid snails online.

Unfortunatly I lack the ability to take a decent picture of them.. My OLD camera wont even take a very good picture of my tank from a distance! I'm going to look for a magnifying glass to try to take a closer look. This thing is the size of half a grain of rice.

I do have some collonista snails that look like this http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/collonista.jpg

but these are different. They look like the pyramid snails I see pics of online. http://www.reefers.org/album/images/th_3583_106454.JPG

I have read pyramids are similiar to Rissoids which I read are OK snails to have. Mine are white. Hopefully I can find a way to get a closer look at them enough to ID them.

My parameters have been steady I guess I should note. Nitrates a bit high. Here is my most recent tests (which it has been at or around since cycled @ 3 months go):

temp 79F
Grav 1.026
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15
Alk 8
Cal 400


I don't keep many snails. About 5 died in the past month and I usually keep around 6 (above the sand) which has been fine with all the stomatellas. I have had very little algea until recently. I'm wondering if they just didn't get enough algea. My tiger conch and 6 nassarius snails appear unaffected as well as the fish and coral.

I just recently noticed I used to have a lot of somatellas but their numbers have diminished to a handful as well.. this could be due to the introduction of 3 hermits and 2 pepermint shrimp. I've never seen either mess with the snails though I know they may.. and I have read the Peps will. I have lots of extra shells for the hermits in the tank and feed the tank daily.

I figure I'll keep an eye out for them and pick them off as I see them. I introduced 5 snails last night. But this was before I noticed what could be the pyramids. Should I do anything else? I've just started researching these things online so any related web pages or info on them are appreciated. Do they ONLY feed on snails? I'd hate to have to go without snails for however long I should to insure the deaths of pyramids but will do if needed.

 

This I do know: Within the family Pyramidellidae there are definitely ones that are parasitic to snails and clams, I have had both types. Every time I found them on the glass at night or after cleaning, when I inspected the clams sure enough there the pyramids were. Based on this I think that is probably a good chance they ones you have are not the nice guys.

Best way to tell IMO is a couple hours after the lights go out, if they are indeed affecting your snails you should be able to see them actually feeding off the snails at night.

If there is an available food source of clams or snails you will see an increase in their numbers as well.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info Coraline. I still think there is a good chance as well.. I've been checking them out tonight after I got home from work and haven't spotted any possible predatory snails. Perhaps I just have a very small amount of them due to their food source diminishing.. It very well could be a coincidence and the snails died due to the other possible problems, and they are just rissoids. I've honestly only noticed them on those two occasions. I'll keep looking at night and in the morning and pick em off if I see one.

How did you rid your tank of yours?