Snail Graveyard

[Azilla]

I have a snail grave yard and clicking. I also have 2 conchs but they dont do nothin to my snails.

[Quinn]

This has the makings of another of those reefing rumours. Let's get this straight.

From what I've read, over 100 species of "conch" have been described. A similar number of whelks have been described. In addition, there are a number of other gastropods that resemble these two groups fairly closely.

Collectors are fairly fond of throwing "miscellaneous" inverts into orders, supposedly without the permission of the shops. Regardless, they seem to arrive here in significant quantities, sometimes in certain stores more than others. We know that generally stores do not take the time to identify these animals and check up on their diet.

The conchs we actually want are typically Strombus gigas (Queen conch) and Strombus alatus (Florida fighting conch). Although there is a dearth of information on the web, the experience of anyone I know of who has confirmed that they own either of these is that they are strict non-predatory omnivores (detritus eaters), or at least, do not predate anything we know of in the aquarium. I had a Strombus luhuanus (strawberry conch) and have no reason to believe it ate anything but dirt.

On the other hand, I've seen photos of many gastropods on RC and RDO that were reported to attack other invertebrates and cnidaria, and although I am not an expert, comparisons with photos of the above-listed species on reputable sites indicated that these were species other than those typically accepted as suitable.

Therefore I would caution anyone against saying "my conch ate my..." It is possible to positively identify many of these animals based on images and reports on the web, and I feel this would be a worthwhile endeavour for anyone owning one of these animals who is worried about what it might do. Obviously this is not an exact measure but it's better than perhaps proliferating the idea that any animal labeled "conch" is either a time bomb or on the flip side is never going to cause any problems whatsoever. Perhaps even more importantly, I feel that shops should take it upon themselves to attempt to identify species they receive, willingly or not, in order to protect their customers' tanks. When was the last time any of us saw an animal in a store labeled "unsuitable for reef tanks"...

http://data.acnatsci.org/conchnet/
http://www.gastropods.com/

[Bob I]

I would be very much inclined to agree with Quinn , and also add that from what I have seen I have never seen a Bristleworm of ANY size attack anything living. I have some very large Brisleworms, and have never lost anything to them.

[Beverly]

Will be updating daily so I can keep a record of events as they happen....

No new dead snails overnight. Of the two snail carcasses, one was tipped over (probably by the snail that I saw next to it this morning) but nothing eaten out of it, the other carcass is in the same place. None of the three snails in the trap were disturbed. Still here the sharp but quiet clicking in the tank throughout the day and evening.

[Quinn]

The clicking isn't a piece of equipment is it?

[AJ_77]

Was it mentioned earlier in this thread that some crabs can click too? Got a new piece of live rock with a small green crab in it, and that one clicks.

[Beverly]

Another update (sheesh )....

The tipped over caracss was gone when I checked the tank three hours after the last update. Looked all over the tank, but couldn't find it. Had lunch, did an errand, then came back to look for the carcass again about an hour ago. Found it about two feet from its original position and picked clean Original position was at the back of the tank. Found position was about a foot from the original graveyard in another cave/throughfare. The trap was a barrier between the graveyard and the found position. Since the trap was only collecting detritus, I removed it, making one unobstructed throughfare under the rock across the whole 4' tank as it had been before setting the (useless) trap.

Also kind of strange is our blue sided wrasse missing a scale on its right side since late last week, and one of the scales on the right side of the flame back angel has been pulled out of place since early this week

Haven't heard ANY clicking this afternoon since discovering the picked clean carcass.

DANG!!!!! I'm so freaking frustrated

Quinn,

Clicking from equipment was the first thing we ruled out, thinking it was the heaters going on and off. Not so.

[DiscusZ]

Well I have seen on 3 occasions where the Conch's long mouth was between the trap door of a snail, and when I separated one of them the smail was eatten. I know what your going to say next, that the snail was dead and the conch was doing a cleanup job.. Read on The snail was not already dead as both were on the glass at the time. I have seen this happen a few times


Explain that one

[Cap'n]

It's probably a welk, they look amazingly similar.

[Bob I]

The obvious answer is "stick to Fighting Conches". You would then be certain it would not go on the glass. Any Fighting Conches I have had were perfect.