narcissus snail trying to attack my clam!

SiNNeR

SiNNeR

Member
:look:
I've had the clam for 2 weeks

the mantel is allways fully open.
water parameters are where they should be

but while watching TV out of the corner of my eye..
both narcissus snails are right inside the clam!!!

so i reach it to split them up.

but claim shut when i grabbed it..

I Placed it on on the rock work to be save himfrom the from the narcissus snails.

what gives it looked healthy.. perhaps the snails are just doing what the should be?
if it doesnt open its mantle after this attack perhaps i should pull it out of the tank in the morning. i dont want it to foul my water..

stupid snails.. !! i'm gonna sick my blue knuckle army after them soon..
 
chipmunkofdoom2

chipmunkofdoom2

Well-Known Member
Are you sure it was a snail? Could it have been a predatory whelk? Scroll down the page til you get to the not reef safe part.

Technically speaking nassarius snails are a type of whelk, however, what you have might be a cantharid whelk, a known mollusk eater.
 
SiNNeR

SiNNeR

Member
chipmunkofdoom2 said:
Are you sure it was a snail? Could it have been a predatory whelk? Scroll down the page til you get to the not reef safe part.

Technically speaking nassarius snails are a type of whelk, however, what you have might be a cantharid whelk, a known mollusk eater.
Click to expand...

wowo great site thanks!!!

I think you may be right i'm uploading some photo's

from what i can tell a Nar snail has a "rough" shell, and the Whelk shell is smooth
would you mind telling me what you think?
IMG_0532-Copy.jpg
 
SiNNeR

SiNNeR

Member
Soo.

this morning the clam is still safe on the Rock. and open
and still open however no mantle showing coming out of the shell..
this is likely do to the lights being off.


I've read all the postings on what is and is not a whelk, Im about 90 percent sure its not a "whelk"

it spends all its time "in" the sand bed, with periscope up mode, (the wife calls 'em "the snorks"<-- like the old cartoon except for when i feed the tank,
its foot is twice as long as its shell.
no "plate" to seal itself in its shell either..
the tail have 4 fleshy prongs "yellowish" two big ones and two little ones..

so either the clam is dieing, and they are doing what i bought them to do....
(sad its a 30 dollar clam :( )
or maybe a peice of mysis shrimp floated in the clam?

the crabs did not kill it over the night, i'd suspect if it was dieing the my army of claws should have dispatched it in the dark..

I'm at work now, I'll see when i get home i guess.
 
SiNNeR

SiNNeR

Member
you win some you lose some..
sorry cletus the clam..
you did feed the blue knuckles very well while i was at work..
the circle of life continues..
i shall have to read up some more, maybe i made a mistake somewhere
 
J

johnmaloney

Well-Known Member
it isnt a nassarius vibex, you can tell that from the curvature on the shell itn the front, but it would be hard to tell what it is without a top down shot at the shell, and maybe one of the underside. It will be safe to pick him up and out of the aquarium for shots if you are looking for an id still.
 
Frankie

Frankie

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Yep, grab the snail and toss it into the backyard. IMO, snails are dispensable when it comes to them damaging our prized saltwater inhabitants.

As for non mollusk eating snails, they will still climb on clams and such for the algae that grows on them. Normally this does not cause a problem for the clam. Just be sure the snail is not disturbing the mantle if it is cleaning the shell.
 
Frankie

Frankie

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
BTW, from the picture it looks like you do not have enough flow on your sand bed. You can see the film of algae role in the background.
With fine sand like you have your going to need to stir the top 1" layer on a weekly basis or more if you have the time. this will help the biological filtration your sand bed is good for.
Just use a thin stick or dowel and don't go deeper then 1"
Frank
 
SiNNeR

SiNNeR

Member
Frankie said:
BTW, from the picture it looks like you do not have enough flow on your sand bed. You can see the film of algae role in the background.
With fine sand like you have your going to need to stir the top 1" layer on a weekly basis or more if you have the time. this will help the biological filtration your sand bed is good for.
Just use a thin stick or dowel and don't go deeper then 1"
Frank
Click to expand...

that thin "algae role" you see is actuly the foot slime from the two snails in question,
that attaches for the top layer of suger fine, the flow from the MP10 the roles of the slime/sand very gently and moves it around till it breaks up again.
between them and the florida conch the bed gets stirred very well (mostly the conchs doing hes awesome :) looks like all conchs he looks inbred with the differnt direction eyes but we love him.. best tank cleaner in my crew..
 
K

kdtran

New Member
The same thing happen to my 3" Clams (it was a beautiful Blue Clam) - came home and found 2 snails (look exactly like your picture with the Periscope) digging into the Clam. I pulled up the Clam but it's too late, it did not even react and close. Left the Clam above the rock for 1/2 day and it never recover!!

Have 2 other much larger (5" and 6") Clams and guess they are too big for the snails - move my other 2" to the rock!!

So those of you that have these snails with small Clams - better move the Clams to the rock!
 
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