Harmful Sea Snails

[carver]

Are there any small sea snails that will harm corals?

 

[jamesw]

Hi Carver,

Yes, there are many harmful snails out there. Some will kill fish and some will kill clams. I've never heard of any that harm corals (except the turban snail which kills zooanthids).

Pretty much if there is an animal/plant on the reef, there is SOMETHING that eats it.

HTH
James

 

[carver]

James: As you may have guessed I asked the question in the generic sense to (hopefully) avoid embarrassment. I have a black and white snail that I got as a hitchhiker that is on my yellow polyps which I notice are thinning in numbers. I have moved the snail to remote parts of the tank and he heads right back to those corals. I just thought, by chance, this snail may be a problem but I will probably learn that everyone else knows what type of snail this is. It is about the size of a dime, concentric circular pattern with black and white markings. Thanks

 

[SteveP]

Sounds like a heliacus (sp?) snail. It's pictured in both volumes of The Reef Aquarium by Sprung & Delbeek.

Steve
8{I

 

[carver]

Steve: Thanks. I did a search under the spelling that you give along with some deviations of that spelling but don't get anything off the web. I need to leave for the day so will check more tomorrow. I really doubt that the snail is a problem but he has a suspicious look. I see some of these polyps in other parts of may tank so they may just have let loose of the LR and floated away, or the snail may have jarred them loose.

 

[Chucker]

FWIW, the polyp-eater is pictured in the HHFAQ, and is rather distinctive.

 

[Anemone]

Here's the pic:

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pictur ... iacus.html

It was the first response on a "Yahoo" search for the term "Heliacus"

Kevin

 

[jamesw]

First search return baby!

Try doing a search on google for "reefs" sometime...you might be surprised what comes up near the top...

Cheers
James

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Here's the pic:

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pictur ... iacus.html

It was the first response on a "Yahoo" search for the term "Heliacus"

Kevin

I wish i can get one of these snails. Polyps are getting out og hand in my tank. They are killing my SPS

 

[carver]

Kevin: That little fellow is definitely the snail that I have. I have been gone for a day and just got home to see the replies to my post. Now I need to read about him/her from the references that you all provided.
James: Google/Images is my favorite search engine and the one that I used to try to identify this little fellow before I left but got no response to the way I tyed the Sp.. Now I am excited to learn more. Thanks to all of you that responded for making this a great place to share our interests.

 

[carver]

Chucker: I should have checked in the HHFAQ. That little polyp eating sucker is the culprit. Ironically, he/she has now disappeared into the reef. I will watch for it now. I don't know whether to hate it or thank it for controling the polyps. I guess an ideal mini reef consists of having everything in balance. I still think I will remove it because it will likely become the victor. So, what do you do with it?? It is actually very attractive!

 

[esmithiii]

Take him to your LFS as they can then sell him to some unwitting customer.

Ernie

 

[carver]

Ernie: Thanks. I got it has a hitchhiker but maybe it was a plant!!! Ernie, is this your snail!!!!

 

[esmithiii]

LOL

 

[Anemone]

Send it to Minh!!!

Kevin

 

[carver]

Hey Minh, want a snail. One problem with the little fellow is you can't control which polyps he/she grazes on. I have captured him. I think I'll flush him!!!!