Tiny snail ID - calling pagojoe!! :)

Look toward the bottom of this LARGE page of thumbnails for harmless rissoids that look like your snails:

Shell Catalogue - Family RISSOIDAE

Here are some pics of pyramidellids (the ones found as parasites in aquaria are usually Turbonilla species):

Shell Catalogue - Family PYRAMIDELLIDAE

Cheers,




Don

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I was busy all day and just now got back to this thread... I was afraid they might be pyramellid snails... good to know there are two types...

It seemed like the snails were eating algae on the hermit crab shell... there are hundreds, maybe thousands of these snails in my tank...

This could be why I was unsuccessful in keeping two clams before (though I never saw these when I had the clams).

I don't mind shipping these to you Incognito, I'm in Atlanta, GA. Do you want them alive or just the shell?

 

Hi Don,

Thanks again!

In following Shimek's article, it seems that the images showing the differences in the two are missing... Identify This... Rissoid And Pyramidellid Snails | Reefland

I can make a guess as to what to look for, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to see it or not...

going to try.

 

I don't know if this will help or not... But these are probably the best photos I can feasibly get.

First is using a 100x microscope and iPhone camera.

This is using my iPhone camera with the snail placed on an led flashlight to try and highlight the detail.

 

That looks like a rissoid protoconch. The 90 degree transition is pretty distinct on the pyramidellids.

Cheers,



Don

 

Here's one of the comparative pics, but not the best one. If you get the Turbonilla shell oriented just right, it should be pretty clear that the first whorl is 90 degrees off the rest of the shell. I don't really see that in your micro pics, and it looks like you rotated it?

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Attachment3493.aspx

Cheers again,



Don

 

We've made arrangements and soon some macro pics will be up. I find it's easier to see the difference in the rissoid and pyrams in photos as you are able to see the detail better.

 

I may have both rissoid and pyrams... so, I'm going to send you as many as I can gather...

I can send some of the small collonista snails too, if you wish to take pictures of them as well...

I am beginning to believe that some of what I have may be parasitic, as they are hanging on my astrea and margarite snails at night near their opening... we'll see soon enough!

I really appreciate the help in all this pagojoe, and especially Incognito for taking the pics!

 

The ones on the snails I would think are parasitic. They are hanging out there for lunch purposes.

 

I tend to agree, except maybe they are just eating algae off of them... I see these same snails hanging on the nori too. We'll know soon enough... can't wait to ship these out on monday! ;D