Killer Snails...

Hey everyone I know some people probably know this already but I just almost learned the hard way that snails called "King Crown Snails" are KILLERS...i have had a few in my tank for while now, because they are large enough to stir the sand bed when they move, but i added a clam to my tank today...and noticed one was being a little too curious, so i did some research, and they are CARNIVORES, it was trying to EAT MY CLAM!..into the aggressive tank mine went (free puffer food) here is a picture of them...pretty snails but def don't want them in your tank! I wondered what happened to all my other snails! NOW I KNOW! Learn from my mistake, leave these "snails" "whelks" "conchs" or whatever you want to call them at the LFS or ocean, wherever you see them!

 

There was a bunch of sellers on Ebay selling mud whelks (Ilyanassa obsoleta) as nassarius sp. Lot's of people like you found out the hard way that they aren't safe with bivalves nor other snails.

 

i got a few in my tank somehow.. must have been hitchhikers on some lr but they do act weird for sure

Heres some pics I have of mine

 

Yikes!! I knew some snails were carnivores (which I never knew until getting into this hobby), but I didn't know they would eat living clams and stuff. Thanks for the heads up! Good thing you got those lil' buggers out in time.

 

I have about 50 in my tank. thought they were onyx nass until about a week ago. Haven't messed with my clams and as far as I can tell haven't messed with my snails either. Fully stocked reef, never had an issues in the last 3 months of having them. Also have a large fighting conch that has not caused any problems.

Maybe your clam wasn't so healthy?

 

Fighting conch's and Nassarius are whelks too. They are just reef-safe whelks. Mud whelks are NOT reef-safe.

 

My clam is brand new and VERY healthy, and still alive...i caught him before he did any damage...he had a pretty good hold on my clam but i was able to pull it off all seems well now..just warning u, if you have them in your tank...they will destroy ur snail population and obviously clams too...I have lost almost all of my snails, turbos and others, I wasnt sure what was going on, and was blaming my hermits..but i thought it was weird that they were killing when there are plenty of empty shells..lol now i know i was pinning the blame on the wrong critter!

 

I haven't noticed a decrease in population of my tonga nass and nass vibex, nor astreas, nor margharites, but Turbos.....Every turbo I put in my tank dies within a week. I shouldn't say dies because there is no carcass. Completely empty shell, polished on the inside. Never suspected my Ilyanassa obsoletas, but now that I think of them, you may be right. There was an isolated incident on my local reef site where he found Ilyanassa obsoletas eating his clam. I guess he rescued the clam from a tank with a fish picking on it, so it wasn't in its best condition. We all chalked it off as they are just cleaning up.

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php