strange snails at Fish World. (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

Went to fish world yesterday afternoon, and they had something they called slipper sand sifting snails.. I cannot find anything about them, and when i look for slipper snails they look nothing like these.. they are white/cream colored with orange blotches. Actually might be some kind of conch or cowry.. Anyone have any idea what they might really be? though they do actually seem to sift through the sand, as they buried themselves shortly after being acclimated and put in the tank.

Matt

 

[Guest]

Did you try getting a picture of them...see if you can post one here for us to see.

 

[Guest]

pic

no, i didn't think about that, I'll have to see about digging one up, and getting a pic of it. not hard to tell where they are, as theres a small lump in the sand.

 

[Wildfire]

Are you familiar with nassarius snails? Mine are a cream colored shell with subtle orange-y blotches on the shell. They burrow in the sand for about 95% of the day, but do typically come out when feeding heavy meat (chunks of shrimp for my shrimp, for example).....

Might check out those. They are typically small (between an astrea and turbo in size).

 

[Guest]

snails

I'm sure they aren't nassarius snails... these snails shells are long and conical.. I'll keep looking.. sometimes i wish folks would sell things under the latin name and not some common name hehe

 

[Guest]

I think I have one of those snail's shells on my shelf! 8O

 

[Guest]

I saw those too, but did not give them a closer look. Do any of these look like them http://grimwade.biochem.unimelb.edu.au/cone/index1.html? After researching these snails, I did not realize these guys packed such a powerful sting and had such an appetite for fish. I would probably stay away from them.

 

[Guest]

Hmm, no they don't really look like any of those.. I need to dig one up and check it out better though. (careful not to touch just in case) those shells in those pics are a bit too stubby, and I don't think their openings are quite like any of those.. I'll post more when I get a better peak.

Matt

 

[Guest]

I think what you saw was a "Mitra Mitra". They are collected in the Indo-Pacific and are carniverous snadsifters.
If someone will tell me how to post a photo I have some pictures.

 

[Guest]

sounds like it might be some kind of flamingo tongue snail which are cowrie like in habits. they cover their shell with their mantle the pics and real ones ive seen are whiteish with either bright red or orange spots

 

[Guest]

yeah

looked up mitra mitra, and yep, that is pretty much how they look thanks aggie.

Matt

 

[incysor]

I bought 2 of them as well I put one in the reef tank and tried one in the octo tank....Here's a link to a pic of a shell after my octo dug this one out of the sand and ate it. I'd try posting the pics here, but for some reason it won't work, even though I"m doing the right steps.

http://gallery.3jane.net/view_photo.php?

 

[Guest]

Yea, they're pretty cool looking snails except that they bury themselves and you won't see them unless you dig them out.
A word of caution. They are CARNIVEROUS. If you are trying to keep a DSB they will clean the "critters" out. I had to "reseed" by DSB after I had 2 for about 60 days.