What kind of snails are these?

nattereri · #1 12/27/2005, 01:42 PM

I was told in another thread that these snails in my 55 gallon are rice snails, but to ask in this forum to be certain.
http://community.webshots.com/album/512635489YpSZSz/1
The last 6 pictures are of these snails. I first noticed them about two weeks ago, and 1 only found about 7. They seem to stay really small, and I think the population is growing slowly, but I am only judging by what I can see on the glass.
I only have a few tiny mushroom corals in the tank, 2 Cleaner shrimps and some Trochus and Cerith snails in the tank, which has been running for about 3.5 months with 20lbs Fiji live rock and ~50lbs "moon rock" which is becoming "live". I have a 4-6" DSB.
At first I thoguh they might be baby Ceriths.

Sorry about the pictures, my cameras macro settigns aren't the greatest.

greenbean36191 · #2 12/27/2005, 03:27 PM

The pictures are very little help, but the fact that you are finding them on the glass rather than on snails or clams suggests they are harmless rissoids rather than pyramids or "rice snails."

Monkeyfish · #3 12/27/2005, 03:27 PM

Sorry, but if you hadn't asked about a snail I wouldn't even know what I was looking at. Need a better photo for ID. Also need a photo from the top to see the shell.

nattereri · #4 12/27/2005, 03:57 PM

I don't have any clams in the tank, nor do I plan too. My snails seem to be fine as well. I will only be doing Soft corals in this tank and possibly LPS. Will they bother these if they are indeed the rice snails?
I'm sorry about the pics, but my camera's macro is garbage, I have to put the camera about 8 inches away from the subject. These snails are just so tiny, the look kinda like Ceriths, but cream/tan shells. Any suggestions on better picture taking?
Some of those pictures do show the top of the shell by the way.
I have been taking the pictures with macro, all lights except tank lights off, full zoom (including 10x digital zoom).

nattereri · #5 12/27/2005, 05:50 PM

http://community.webshots.com/album/512635489YpSZSz
Last picture on that page, and the next page has more pictures.

Second page: http://community.webshots.com/album/512635489YpSZSz/1

rshimek · #6 12/28/2005, 09:21 AM

Hi Nick,

I need to see it - and see it clearly - to be able to identify. See the sticky thread at the top of the forum listings, titled, "Need an Identification...."

More than likely they are harmless detritivores, however, there are number of small snails that fit that bill that are sometimes commonly found in reef tanks.

nattereri · #7 12/28/2005, 01:10 PM

I did in fact read all your stickies Ron, and I realize that you don't like following links, but to make my images under 50KB, they would be even less clear. On the second page of webshots, there are a few that aren't bad, but I'm pretty sure that's as good as it'll get with my camera.
If they aren't affecting my snails (Trochus and Cerith), is it moreso possible they aren't rice snails? And even if they are, will they affect Soft corals or LPS?
Thanks Ron,