Difference between Trochus and Turbo's?

[kris walker]

Hi y'all,
I recently heard a statement that now has me confused. Are trochus snails the same as turbo snails? If not, does anyone have any info on the differences, like say origin? Also, any pics?
kris

 

[fishfood]

On this site they have them listed as Mexican/Trochus snails but on the order form it lists them as Turbos? I don't know. I was kind of wondering the same thing.

 

[fshhub]

they are very similar in appearance, about the same size,
but the trochus can turn themselves over, and one major difference is the body itself(not the shell), the head and antennae on th eturbos(that i have seen) are white, on the trochus are black or very dark

 

[fishfood]

so then what exactly are they selling at this site that are listed as Mexican/Trochus snails on the u-build it list and listed as Mexican Turbos on the picture that they are linked to?

 

[kyarnkid]

deleted
broomer5

 

[royce]

Just yesterday I received my U-build-it package from SWF with both trochus and turbo snails - the trochus snails are much larger than the turbos - 1.5-2.5" vs. 0.5-1". Their shells are also different. That and what fshhub mentioned are their differences.

 

[fishfood]

Well Royce you seem to be saying something different than fshhub. He said they are "about the same size" were you said, "the trochus snails are much larger than the turbos - 1.5-2.5" vs. 0.5-1".
Fshhub also said, "one major difference is the body itself(not the shell)", while you said, "Their shells are also different", I still didn't see anyone explain why SWF.com has them listed as Mexican/Trochus snails in the U-build it page but when you click on them to look at them it calls them Mexican Turbo. To me they are saying that Turbos and Trochus are the same thing! Someone please look at that and set me strait!

 

[broomer5]

Here's some info
<a href="http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/july/wb/default.asp" target="_blank">http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/july/wb/default.asp</a>

 

[royce]

Broomer's site explains the differences much better than I can - I ordered both varieties from SWF and both the shell and the size were very different between them, perhaps I just got very large trochus snails. But I do agree with you that the description is a little misleading; when I ordered, I kept clicking between the 2 photos to see what the differences were because of the similarities in what they were called.

 

[fishfood]

Kris, I hope my questioning how these guys are labled here helped.
That helped Broomer5 but still leaves me with the question as to why swf.com lables them as two different names for the same snail. In that article i found that there is:
Superfamily: Trochacea
7 Families two of which are:
Trochidae
Trubinidae
Under the Trochidae Family there are 9 subfamilies
The subfamily Trochinae which contains the Genus Trochus and a few others
Under the Turbinidae Family there are 3 Subfamilies
The subfamily Turbininae which contains the Genus Turbo.
I guess my point is that calling it a mexican/trochus snail and a Turbo is misleading. Including the Turbo makes me think it is of the genus Turbo not Trochus

 

[broomer5]

Fishfood
I couldn't agree with you more.
I am planning to buy some more snails myself now that my tank is ready - and I am confused as well.
How about we try and get some clairification from the owners.
I'll look into it and let you all know.
Later

 

[fishfood]

Broomer5,
Thanks.. I mean i've seen Mexican turbos around here but no trochus and everyone on here talks about how great these trochus snails are. If these Mexican turbos are actually trochus snails i would get a few from the lfs since i don't need an entire reef package right now, although i might as well at $5.00 a piece around here.
Here is another way to look at it... What is the plural of the Superfamily- Trochacea? .. Trochaceas or Trochus?? If it is Trochus than you could say Mexican/Trochus turbo snails, in which mexican is the common name of a type of turbo snail in the Trochaceas Superfamily.
Sorry to go there guys
I'm at work and have nothing to do

 

[fshhub]

royce is right, i did say the major is the body, but the shelll is soemwhat different, too, i jsut have a difficult time distinguishing(myself) the 2 patterns, under all the coraline(they can and will grow coraline on their shells), and as far as size, there are 2 major turbos found in aquariums, mexicans get upto 1 inch, and carribean(i think that is what they are refferred toas, my lfs just calls them all turbos) which can get 2 or 3 inches (OR VICE VERSA, I CAN NEVER REMEMBER WHICH TURBO IS WHICH) , he never actuallly contradicted me, i was just alil unclear by typing "not the shell" it was somewhat misleading in hte reading, i did not mean that there is no difference, but that the body is a different color look at that not the shell for color difference
but from the looks of the picture, given the body(i just find that the easiest way to remember), i would have to say the PICTURE,is of a turbo(that is justhe picture that they offer, i do not know about the actual snail)
SORRY

 

[broomer5]

LOL
sorry I'm just cracking up here ...
Have you ever wondered what it is about this hobby that will lead a group of people, including myself, on such a quest to learn about snails.
Ya gotta love it !

 

[royce]

Not to belabor the point <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" /> but I did just get some of both of these snails yesterday, the Mexican turbo/Trochus snails from this site look just like the Trochus snails I have seen in my LFS. The Atlantic turbo/Astrea snails are what I see labeled as your everyday "turbo" snails - the ones that drown when they fall upside down. The Mexican snails that arrived yesterday are really moving through my tank at a good clip while the smaller Atlantic ones are much slower.

 

[fshhub]

broomer, i agree 100% that is why il ike this hobby, you are constantly finding sowmthing new to learn(if you want), never any boredom
and i edited the above post, just for a lil more clarification, and thanks royce for clearing up the difference too
but now, do not buy mexican turbos, thinking that they are the same snail, they are not, there is a difference, if you want trochus, get trochus, they are harder to find, and that is why they are more money(in fact most lfs's cna't or wont stock them)

 

[fishfood]

Broomer5 - they keep our tanks clean sometimes!!! Actually the girl i work with here has a freshwater tank at home with only snials in it??? We work for the Florida DEP and work with sea grass restoration and have a project to build an oyster reef here. I did't go to school exactly for this stuff but i'm learning about it as i go.

 

[broomer5]

Thanks Fishfood
I sorta had that figured out - but appreciate the reminder
I must get me some new snails soon - I've got about 20 or so from my 55 tank - but want more in my 75.
I changed over to DSB when I set up the 75 late December. The snails I have now can not right themselves when they flip over on the sandbed.
With the old CC in the 55 - this did not seem to be such a problem. Now - Constantly having to reach in with my plastic stick to flip over the little alage munchers
Babysitting snails is not what I need in my life right now LOL

 

[kris walker]

Wow, I wasn't expecting such a huge number of replies. Thanks y'all, I now have a better understanding of the difference!
kris

 

[royce]

Nothing like a little controversy and confusion to pull those posts in! After all this, now I'm not so sure exactly WHAT kind of snails I got, but who ever they are, they are sure doing the trick