Have NEVER seen this, help ID.

[DoobDob]

Hello, new to reef2reef with a hitchhiker question, Have never seen this before, and haven't found anything online about my find.
If he looks sad, that's because I've found not one, but TWO hitchhikers living inside his shell, one is clearly a crab, if someone can ID him for me, the other is a mystery.

This is one of my turbo snails

Yes, the mystery hitchhiker is that thing to the right of the crab. I don't believe it to be part of the snail, it moves and everything, and frankly freaks me out! Here are some other photos to help ID.

The crab I believe to be a pea crab? pea crabs live in oysters though so... shrug. The other thing looks like a monster. Thanks for your feed backs

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R!! Let's get some more eyes in here so we can help identify and figure out a solution to make your snail much happier #reefsquad

 

[KJ]

Look like yours snail is hosting a crab.

 

[DoobDob]

Look like yours snail is hosting a crab.

yea, I know there's a crab, there's something else though. :S
also sorry I've had to edit this post like 5 times, I duplicated the photos somehow .

 

[KJ]

yea, I know there's a crab, there's something else though. :S
also sorry I've had to edit this post like 5 times, I duplicated the photos somehow .

Second look like a flatworms.

 

[KJ]

@Tahoe61 @Lovemyreef2015 @Jose Mayo

 

[TinyChocobo]

Wow that is freaky... Watching.

 

[ThunderGoose]

The second "hitchhiker" might be part of the snail's reproductive system. It's in the right location. Definitely need more opinions here.

 

[jsker]

That is a tough one.

 

[Jose Mayo]

@Tahoe61 @Lovemyreef2015 @Jose Mayo

Without any reference. I had not yet seen, until now, a crab "symbiont" of snail.

I'm very curious too.

Regards

 

[PaulS]

Impossible I would guess but it looks like a conch to me.

 

[Sabellafella]

Haha wow too cute! Look at that little fella, keep em!

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I'm going to say it's a predatory flatworm.

 

[kireek]

Wow.I am going to agree with the thread title.Thank you for sighing up and sharing!

 

[kireek]

Wow.I am going to agree with the thread title.Thank you for signing up and sharing!

 

[DoobDob]

The second "hitchhiker" might be part of the snail's reproductive system. It's in the right location. Definitely need more opinions here.

Ok, your post gave me an idea, and after some googling, I've come to the conclusion that the second hitchhiker is actually the snails gills, which would be my first time ever seeing, not 100% on this yet though, why so big and moving around like a worm? I don't know, maybe the crab is irritating him?

I was actually taking pics of the worm looking appendage when I spotted the crab.
Right now I have the snail in a hanging quarantine fish breeding box thing and debating on rather to put him back into the large tank or not.

also would like to note that I've had the snail for at least 5 months and just noticed this, maybe they're doing fine together, thoughts on releasing?

thanks.

 

[madducks42]

Curious about whatever happened with this because I just found a little tiny crab inside one of our turbo snails.

 

[DoobDob]

I believe the snail died. I don't know if it was because of the crab or some other reason, sometimes my snails just die, maybe lack of food, they lived together for a good while though, although the snail always looked unhappy with life.
Also, no clue what happened to the crab once the snail died. he might still be alive in the tank or also dead.

Its cool to hear of another case like mine. I guess it more common then I thought. I actually found the crab by accident photographing the parasite like gills lol.

 

[DoobDob]

Curious about whatever happened with this because I just found a little tiny crab inside one of our turbo snails.

I believe the snail died. I don't know if it was because of the crab or some other reason, sometimes my snails just die, maybe lack of food, they lived together for a good while though, although the snail always looked unhappy with life.
Also, no clue what happened to the crab once the snail died. he might still be alive in the tank or also dead.

Its cool to hear of another case like mine. I guess it more common then I thought. I actually found the crab by accident photographing the parasite like gills lol.