Oddities of the deep!

We regularly come across some of the unique creature of the ocean, and keep them in our tanks for curiosity purposes. We have decided to make them available to our customers for free, as long as they understand the risk. For example, I have a few Gaudy Natica's. A beautiful snail, it will scavenge, as well as eat small bivalves and other snails. Good for a sump or tank that can accommodate this creature. I also have a Giant Atlantic Cockle, a filter feeder, it like most clams should not be consider a cleaner, rather it is a pet and you should feed it. Assorted "cleaner clams", decorator crabs, and a small 2 inch box flame crab round out the current list. Oh, no wait - I have a few marginalia snails, nicely shelled creatures, but only reef safe with caution as they may kill other snails.

I also have a stiff pen shell. This is the creature that makes natural black pearls. Ugly on the outside, its inside is iridescent, and renown for its mother of pearl.

and a couple of unidentified nudis, but I am growing them out.

 

you should know I am lazy about pics. okay maybe, i will work on it. in the mean time you can see some pics from around the net:

Giant Atlantic Cockle:

http://www.okeefes.org/Mollusks/101_7749cockletou.jpg

Stiff Pen Shell:

http://www.okeefes.org/Mollusks/Stiff Pe... 102_3177.jpg

Marginella:

http://www.jaxshells.org/sc276sj.jpg

Gaudy Natica:

http://www.shelltrips.com/Florida/pics/ canrena.jpg

(Also known as the finely decorated Natica or something like that.)

decorator crabs:
http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:jLA3saq...coratorCrab.jpg

flame streaked box crab:

YouTube - Jack Rudloe & The Flame Streaked Box Crab

 

Very cool John, there are a couple of them that are not working though...Stif pen and decorator crab.

 

they were just web links, try google searching them. won't be taking pictures of them, just too much other work to do. Try to find a live photo though, gives you a better idea than just the shell.