Bumble- Bee Snails ?

[fishlips]

Does anyone have any info on Bumble-bee snails. I bought 1/2 doz at my LFS and I think they are the demise of my clown fish. I came home and the clown fish was lying on the bottom of the tank wriggling with the snail attached to its abdomen. what gives with these?

 

[pwlong]

About a year or two ago, they were popular as a clean-up crew, but were deemed to be not reefsafe. I don't remember the specifics, but I don't remember anything about problems with fish or other inhabitants, just coral.
HTH,
Phil

 

[Lynn]

I've had them for 4 months now, and they have been as good as gold.

 

[C.POROSUS]

The Bumble Bee snails are scavengers, but will also attack other snails. Really doubt that your Clownfish was done in by them though.
:twisted:

 

[MadMorf]

Ok, dead fish are not funny, but I just had this mental picture of a Bumble Bee snail leaping from a rock and wrestling a fish to the bottom of the tank...

I've got a few Bumble Bees and they don't seem to do anything but eat algae fron the rock and glass...Never seen one anywhere near a coral...

Most likely the snail was just trying to clean up the dead fish...

 

[Anemone]

Bumble Bee snails are primarily scavengers, but as another poster noted, they are also a danger other snails as well as some sandbed fauna. They are not algae-eaters!

That being said, I too doubt that the snail was responsible for the death of the clown (but they certainly will attack a nearly dead clown, if they're given tha opportunity).

Kevin

 

[SPC]

Posted by Anemone:
They are not algae-eaters!

-Ditto!
Steve

 

[Jeff Hood]

I have about 30 to 40 in my 580. I have never seen them on any healthy animal or snail. I do see them on the rock mostly but in the sand some and they seem to do a good job at scavaging crud off my live rock. I think of them as the snail equivlent of hermits.
I have had no problems with them at all. I have a few in my refugium also.
What is weard is occasionaly I see one get on my Nori rock and seem to graze on Nori from time to time. Not sure what it is eating.

BTW my turbos love Nori. I have a couple go straight for it when I put it in. If my Tang does not eat it all the snails finish it all off quickly.

Jeff