Queen Conch

[booxer420]

I am very new to the saltwater aquarium hobby- I started in July with a ten gallon aquarium for some zebra hermit crabs I found at the coast on a family vacation. Now I have two aquariums running. In my 10 gallon I have 4 medium sized zebra hermits, one green spotted puffer (I acclimated him to full salt along with mollies) The small aquarium is now covered in algae and I am unsure what to do to get it under control.
My larger aquarium is home to two striped damsels, a dottyback, a cardinal pj, a coral banded shrimp, two featherdusters, a mushroom, two tube anemones, a mexican turbo snail, a cleaner hermit, a queen conch, and one remaining astria snail. In the last four days my queen conch appears to have eatten the other three astrias- when I called the pet store they told me this was impossible but I witnessed it. They advised me to try to feed her shrimp pellets but according to online she will not eat meat and can not digest meat.
I have been feeding frozen marine delight, frozen squid(to the anemones) frozen and freeze dried brine shrimp, phytomax and flake food- alternated daily.
All water test are safe with Nitrates being a little high(20) due to adding the cardinal and conch a couple days ago- I think.... any advice on the aglae in the small tank and the conch in the larger would be very helpful.

 

[bang guy]

Got a picture? I think you might have a Horse Conch. What color is the foot? Are there small antenna on the eyestalks?
Just for reference, Queen Conch grow very large very quickly. They really need a big sand bed to get enough diatoms and algae.
A Fighting Conch seems like it would be more appropriate for you IMHO.

 

[booxer420]

Here are a couple pics but they really do not do justice for how pretty she is. Her eye is dark- almost black. I know a 55 gallon is not big enough but I am working on setting up a 100 gallon soon.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...6&l=a655cba2bd

 

[bang guy]

Definately not a Queen Conch. I need a closeup to ID it though.
My current guess is still a Horse Conch but there are a dozen ways I could be wrong.

 

[booxer420]

I have a couple pics that are better- sorry I have not perfected my aquarium photography either! Hehe
How can you tell the difference? I was told the only way to identify what kind they are is the color of the inside shell- hers appears to be pink?
I am going to start researching Horse Conch now- I am afraid my anemone is not safe. I have noticed since the conch went in the aquarium both of my featherdusters lost their heads and the lavender anemone has been burying himself- he never buried before!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...6&l=a655cba2bd

 

[spanko]

Looks like a King's Crown Melongena corona.
"Usually found among the mangroves and oyster beds. Up to 4" in size. Tends to be more of a bay shell because of its habitat. This is not usually a shell to be found along the beach unless you are near a pass of other area where oyster bars and mangroves are near. Color form and spine structure can vary greatly from one area to the next."

And here is Lori's

 

[btldreef]

It is so hard because it's still so small. IMO, I think it looks more like a Queen than a Horse at the moment, but as it grows that could change.
On a side note: Looking at your pics, I see some monster bubble algae. Get yourself an emerald crab or pick that stuff out. It'll spread like wild fire.

 

[booxer420]

It really does look like the shells you sent, should I worry about it eatting my anemones? My lavender anemone is my favorite in my aquarium and I would be really upset to lose it.
What is the bubble algae? Is it the green plant in the rock work?
Any ideas on what I can put in my 10 g to clean up some of the algae in it?

 

[bang guy]

I think Spanko found it.
That's why I was asking about the eye stalks.
This is a queen. Notice the eyes peeking out from the shell.

 

[booxer420]

Sorry Bang guy I did not know they look different- I have not noticed mine having two eye stalks only the one and it does not look like this pic. It is hard to get a good look at it because it hides all the time- she has gone on the glass a couple times but usually falls off within a minute or so.
I know this is not really an invert question but you seem to be very knowledgeable on the aquarium hobby- when I started I really wanted a green mandarin but it seems that he may not be the best choice for me- do you know of any other fish that compares to them?
The sad thing about my conch is I began with a chocolate chip star fish and traded him off because he was eating my clean up crew and my mushrooms- guess this also was not the best choice.....

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by booxer420
http:///forum/post/3151311
Sorry Bang guy I did not know they look different- I have not noticed mine having two eye stalks only the one and it does not look like this pic. It is hard to get a good look at it because it hides all the time- she has gone on the glass a couple times but usually falls off within a minute or so.
I know this is not really an invert question but you seem to be very knowledgeable on the aquarium hobby- when I started I really wanted a green mandarin but it seems that he may not be the best choice for me- do you know of any other fish that compares to them?
The sad thing about my conch is I began with a chocolate chip star fish and traded him off because he was eating my clean up crew and my mushrooms- guess this also was not the best choice.....
A Queen wasn't a bad choice if you're soon going to a 100 gallon. I'm upset someone sold you a carnivore in place of a herbivourous Conch.
I know of no fish that compares to a Mandarin The smaller Gobies like Neons & Clown Gobies can be entertaining.

 

[meowzer]

It is so hard because it's still so small. IMO, I think it looks more like a Queen than a Horse at the moment, but as it grows that could change.
On a side note: Looking at your pics, I see some monster bubble algae. Get yourself an emerald crab or pick that stuff out. It'll spread like wild fire.[/QUOTE]

I think they are marbles

 

[spanko]

I hope they are glass and not metal!!!!

 

[booxer420]

Thanks to everyone for the help.
I do have marbles in the tank-they are glass- I put them in when I had the hermit crabs in because they moved them around and "played" with them. I just left them in for decoration or color until I get my aquarium set up completely. It was really empty looking. =)
I will check into the neon gobies and thanks again!