Pink Cone Snails?? and Spagetti/Garden Eels in DSB??

[Macimage]

Hi Dr. Ron,

Just wanted you to know that we thoroughly enjoyed your talk Friday night at MASLAC. Of course, Saturday while purusing the LFS we saw two different critters we were not sure about and wished we could ask you. Then tonight I log on and find this GREAT forum has been added!! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this.

The first critter we saw was a small (1/4") snail with a light pink foot. The employees did not know much about them except that they called them pink cone snails and that they came from the warm waters in Mexico.

The second critter was a really cute eel they called a spagetti or garden eel. He lives in the sand bed but the LFS owner was not sure if he would be a good, beneficial critter to have in a live sand bed or if he would burrow too deeply and stir up the bottom layer of the sand bed. He was about 12" long and 1/16"-1/8" wide and stuck his head up out of the sand to look around.

I apologize for not having the proper names, but that is all the info we could get.

We are so looking forward to hearing you speak in April at WMC. Thank you in advance for your time and response.

Joyce

[Edited by Macimage on 01-17-2001 at 09:40 AM]

[rshimek]

Morn'n Joyce,

Sand, garden or spaghetti eels are fish. Neat fish. But I know little specifically about them. I would refer you to a good fish reference, perhaps one of the books by Scott Michael. However, my feeling is that they would do fine in sand bed as (I think) they don't eat sand critters. Disturbance of the bed by burrowing organsisms, such as this is okay if not done by several in a small area.

I simply don't have enough information to go on with the snail I am afraid. These are probably not a "cone" snail in the sense of belonging to the genus Conus, the venomous snails, but cone snails only in that they have a conical shell (this factor doesn't help much - 90% of snails have a conical shell). If you can get a specimen and want to send it to me, or a good photograph showing the animal from several angles, I will be glad to try to identify it.

[Macimage]

Wow, you were replying while I was editing!!

Thanks for the info on the eels, I will try to find more info. I checked the S. Michaels "Marine Fishes", but they are not covered. I will try a few more reference books.

Next week I will try to get some digital photos of the Pink Cone snail.

Thanks, Joyce

[rshimek]

Hi Joyce,

For photos, it is important for identification purposes that the aperture where the animal can withdraw into the shell is shown clearly and in focus.

This is one of the major identification clues... :D

[Joe Kelley]

I have 2 garden eels.
For about 18 monthes now.
http://home.earthlink.net/~kenuy/Joe/71.JPG
Joe

[Macimage]

Joe,

Thanks so much for posting the pic. That is exactly the critter I saw at the LFS. I think they are sooo cute!!

Hope to see you next month's meeting. It was fun meeting everyone and putting a face to the names.

Joyce

[jameso]

Hi Joe!

How deep is the sand in that garden eel tank?

The Scripps Aquarium (sorry, I just can't bring myself to say birch yet) has a wonderful display w/ garden eels and blue spotted jawfish. They have about an 18" DSB. Go check it out!

Cheers
James

[Joe Kelley]

James, sorry I did not see this message. The sand in my tank is about 6 1/2 " where the eels hang out. Hope I can get down there soon. That sounds like a great display.!-)
Joe