Snail ID please

tcreef

tcreef

Member
Can anyone ID this snail. Its about 1/4" long. Found off of Texas City Dike (across the bay from Galveston). Billions of them on the rocks, in and out of the water. Just wondering if reef safe.
TIA
 
gregzbobo

gregzbobo

Member
Nassarius sp. perhaps? Its a caribbean snail according to another webstie, but I don't see why it couldn't be a bit further north.
 
tcreef

tcreef

Member
pretty sure its not a bumblebee snail. At least comparing this one to the pic of a bumblebee at ffexpress. I didn't notice too many of them much larger than this one.
 
nacl-h2o

nacl-h2o

Active Member
It's not a nassarious or bumble bee snail. It does look like some type of small common whelk. Almost all are preditory and most are not reef safe. You may want to isolate it until you can gat a good ID on it.
 
tcreef

tcreef

Member
I agree Dan. Its not in my tank. If it is beneficial (doubt it, nothing good is free), theres plenty of them.
Thanks
If they are a predator, what would they eat?? soft coral, polyps, etc.
 
nacl-h2o

nacl-h2o

Active Member
Not knowing the exact spieces I couldn't tell you what they eat. Most whelks eat different types of shell fish or other mollusk especially the larger types. There is a little more variety in appitite amoung the smaller speices. If it hitchiked in on LR there was probably something on, in or around the LR it ate. that and the fact that there are no whelk herbavors, would make me suspecious. Since some whelks eat other mollusk you would need to keep and eye out for eaten clean up crew snails.
 
jonthefb

jonthefb

Active Member
i agree that its not a bumblebee snail and if you found it as far north as texas, it probably doesnt eat corals and such but could still go after your other snails/crabs in your tank. i would also think that it might have come from cooler water if you got him in texas than that of a coral reef.
good luck
jon
 
tcreef

tcreef

Member
not many corals in Galveston Bay. Plenty of worms, huge hermits, Mud crabs and these snails.
Thanks for the responses
:D
 
fishtails

fishtails

Member
I found a snail just like that today.Whatever kind it was,I took it out,even if it was good,because I'd rather not risk m expensive tank being "hurt".My 2 cents.:eek:
 
tcreef

tcreef

Member
Fishtails,
That's why I'm trying to find out info on this species is and its habits. If for somereason it is a reef safe, benificial critter, then I've got a bumper crop about 5 blocks from my house.
Definatley learned my lesson years back about introducing "mystery creatures" to my tank. Not a good idea. :D
 
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