nassarius vs maxima

Discussion in 'Clams' started by Billme, Nov 15, 2013.

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  1. Billme

    Billme Eyelash Blennie

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    I have some more to fish out. I'll send more pics.
     

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  2. Click Here!

  3. Billme

    Billme Eyelash Blennie

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    The second one I'd a bit smaller. Notice the trap door. Not sure if nassarius has them
     

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  4. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Cool, karma, thank you.

    A portion of that link:

    The exceptional whelks that do well in reef aquaria, and which are good neighbors to all animals in the reef tank, are the nassariids. These animals, mostly in the genus Nassarius, but also including a few other small genera, are typical whelks in all regards except their diets. They are specialized to eat only carrion. In reef tanks, they eat excess meaty food before it can rot, and they eat recently deceased or dying organisms Whelks by Ronald L. Shimek Ph.D.


    ? Nassarius are Whelks.
     
  5. Billme

    Billme Eyelash Blennie

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    Good point corailline. I'll try to figure out their relationship.
     
  6. Greg@LionfishLair

    Greg@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

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    FWIW, I've never seen a Nassarius with an operculum ("trap door"), and we have lots of them of a couple of different species. I think you have a predatory whelk there.

    Unfortunately, there are a few snails out there that are sold as "safe" Nassarius snails that are predatory...the Babylon snail or "fancy/spotted Nassarius" and "olive/mud snails" (Ilyanassa obsoleta) being a couple of them.

    I'd remove the snail(s) as it's obviously predatory.
     
  7. Billme

    Billme Eyelash Blennie

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    Thanks for the input Greg. I am in the process of trying to answer two questions: 1) how it's it that I was sold a reef safe snail that killed my Clam. 2) How do I differentiate between the good (herbivorous) and the bad (omnivorous) nassarius? I have a feeling it may be a long answer. Stay tuned. -Bill