Starter Corals

[Quinn]

I did a bit of research on these mysterious snails. Apparently the animal is listed under two names, it appears the first is correct: Engina mendicaria and Pusiostoma mendicaria. The WWM crew refer to them as strictly carnivorous - whether this means they are scavengers or true predators I am unsure. However, I did find an article in The Journal of Zoology referring to the prey of Engina armillata (Gastropoda: Buccinidae) being polychaetes, that is, worms [1]. Perhaps it is safe to say they may be a risk in a reef tank, compromising one's sand bed and the microfauna that populate it. It is unfortunate that so many retailers list them as reef-safe.

[1] http://journals.cambridge.org/bin/bl...1005&REQAUTH=0