Predatory snail?

[Jive Turkey]

I have seen a 1/2" bumblebee snail amongst my zo rocks for about a month now, since I added some nice rocks from ReeferMadness.us. There is no apparent damage. Is the snail feeding on zos or just cleaning up the rock.

[mnreefman]

bumble bees do not eat corals, there is a predatory snail though that does eat zoanthids

[arcab4]

be on the look out for sundial snails. those are the ones that eat zoos. here's how they look like:

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/faq_heliacus.jpg

most of the time you don't see them b/c they hide under the polyps.

[mnreefman]

gah! i have one!!!!!!!

[arcab4]

doh! just remove him. you might even make a buck or two from selling it to fellow reefers that want him.

:)

[john76]

The bumble bees are also not algae eaters. So they may actually be eating dead flesh from the polyps and not actually harming them. Are the polyps closing up at all?

[john76]

And, how big are most of those sundial snails? I found an empty shell of one that was imbedded in the mat of my zoos. It was less than a 1/4".

[arcab4]

the biggest one i've seen is about 24" . ha. just kidding.

about 1/2" or so is the biggest one i've seen. i find them occasionally and when i do i just toss them into the eel tank. if anyone needs one, let me know. i might be feeling brave one day to stick my hand into there. :)

[suasponte2/75]

Sorry to drag this topic back up.... :D . Do these sundial snails only eat zoo's or other softies too? Just curious since I'm being overrun by my zoo's and need a way to hold them back a little.

Thanks,

Minh

[Harley387]

Originally posted by suasponte2/75
Sorry to drag this topic back up.... :D . Do these sundial snails only eat zoo's or other softies too? Just curious since I'm being overrun by my zoo's and need a way to hold them back a little.

Thanks,

Minh

You could ship them to me!!:D

[giantxtc]

Here's a pic of a whelk that I know was eating my gsp and killing all the other snails in my tank.They were some cool hitchikers until they got busted.

[lesd]

Something that eats GSP? I want one! Seriously, if it wasn't killing other snails that would be a good biological control for some of us. I have GSP growing in places that I don't want it (in the tank).

-- lesd