Nassarius Snails Deadly Carnivores

fredstor

New Member
i just found out the hard way that big Nassarius Snails can be carnivores after they attacked my little molly miller blenny and ate him, plus an other turbo snail...

just beware of the great sand bed cleaner Nassarius Snails... little ones are ok, but the others can mean trouble.

Yeah I know about Whelks and the different types of snails...but.... a nassarius is a nassarius. Heed.
 

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
I'm skeptical and find it more likely the blenny and turbo where just on their last legs, or you were sold a whelk.

I have 3 varieties of nassarius in my tank including the super tonga variety along with tonga fighting conches a sandsifting star and a few fish that like to burrow in the sand and never seen anything like that.
 

fredstor

New Member
Just Heed. ... it wasnt a small Nassarius, all whelks are part of the nassarius family. it was gray with tan lines across , i gave it back to the store. but I agree with you on the small nassarius are more scavengers, but if i hadnt seen it with my own eyes, i would have been skeptical too I guess ~
 

lbiminiblue

Well-Known Member
i just found out the hard way that big Nassarius Snails can be carnivores after they attacked my little molly miller blenny and ate him, plus an other turbo snail...

just beware of the great sand bed cleaner Nassarius Snails... little ones are ok, but the others can mean trouble.

Yeah I know about Whelks and the different types of snails...but.... a nassarius is a nassarius. Heed.
same here witnessed nassarius eating each other. Look up cone snails, possibly the worst snail you can have.
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
I have two different species of Nassarius in my tank and the only time I have seen them eating a fish was when the fish was already dieing of something else. There are several different species of Nassarius and they range from algae eaters to eater of sandbed critters. You will need to research the species that you have. Perhaps, you have one of the sandbed critter eating types. Here is an interesting article on the subject, the little ones aren't necessarily okay: Do You Know Who You
 

fredstor

New Member
Its not eating corals, its attacking anything that moves, subtlely and what I realized now, or it dawned on me, what it was also doing was playing dead, turning itself upside down, so that the foot was facing upward... the Snail is about two inches long, but it also buried itself and the store was selling it a big Nassarius... just beware of it... all this reef safe, not reef safe talk is non sense... no offense but ive been doing this for a while and first time I see this...
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Ive got a giant Nass my LFS sold me cheap cause noone wanted it, honestly its speed and size kinda freak me out.
But ive never seen any aggression to any other snails in the last 6 months ive had it.
Ill be checking those links to see what type i have, thanks guys!
 

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
Looks like a solid ID, good call! The shape of the shell is very similar, I like how he identifies the eye stalk as the clearest way to identify which is which.
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Heres my gentle giant. Its foot is about 2.5" , shell is about 1" across.

photobucket-53390-1354756954939.jpg
 

catran

Well-Known Member
I've bought hundreds of nassarius vibes and I've never had a problem. I love them because they keep my sand stirred. I had a emerald crab attack the snail though...


I love reefers...
 

monopod1

New Member
i just found out the hard way that big Nassarius Snails can be carnivores after they attacked my little molly miller blenny and ate him, plus an other turbo snail...

just beware of the great sand bed cleaner Nassarius Snails... little ones are ok, but the others can mean trouble.

Yeah I know about Whelks and the different types of snails...but.... a nassarius is a nassarius. Heed.
Nassarius are Whelks ... ask a marine biologist. They carry a strong neuro-toxin which can increase to be lethal to humans who may be silly enough to eat them. They project this toxin via thread-like feelers, and they can be quite a way from the prey when they inject it.
They also hunt in packs and ambush the unsuspecting whatever . Yes they are cannibalistic as well.
Wise man says believe what you see. One of my clowns was pulled half way into this nightmare creatures "home" when I eventually cottoned on to where my expensive fish had gone.
The "snails" disappear with them into the sub-strate and no trace is found, as they are another menace that feed by dissolving the the fish, bones and all.
They can react instantly food is introduced into the tank, heaven knows how, and slow as a snail does NOT apply to these jokers. They can move as if " turbo-charged" pardon the pun, over any kind of surface.
Some time ago I decided that snails are nothing but trouble .... for me at least. I got these wretched things with other stuff when I was foolish enough to buy a complete second-hand set up. I really should know better at my age.
The cost of the experience to me ? £ 250.00
I've gone back to freshwater tropicals. Marines are a rich man's domain ..... comparatively.
I'm a pensioner, and I'm poorer by at least double what the fish have cost me.
 
Top