Help ID Snail -- Whelk?

[Giraffe0621]

I have found several of these snails in my TBS live rock shipment -- from 1/2 cm to 1 cm maybe?

These are whelks, because of the "trunk," right? As in BAD snails to remove since they can harm other crustacean shells?

Thank you!

 

[reeferfoxx]

I don't think it's a welk. Usually their trunks look tattood. Might be a normal nassarious

 

[KJ]

These are whelks

Yes.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Oops sorry after zooming in it does look tattood!

 

[kyleinpdx]

I do believe its a welk, the trunk does look like the traditional blotched welk trunk to me. Whelk vs Nassarius

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Nassisarius snails have trunks too, it's actually called a siphon and they use it to smell, breathe, and for a few other reasons. The thing to look for in whelks is a pattern on their skin, sort of like spots or somewhat uniformly shaped splotches all over anything that isn't shell. They also have different shaped shells a vast majority of the time (smaller ones look alot like small nassarius snails though).

That being said, what you got there is a whelk. Here's a photo comparing a whelk (right) and a nassarius snail (left):

Photo credits: http://melevsreef.com/node/1716

 

[Giraffe0621]

Wow, thank you all for the quick responses! Now the question is what to do with them? I'm collecting them in Sump Jail, but that's not a long-term solution. Would a fish store actually want them, or are they considered pests to everyone?

 

[reeferfoxx]

I think it's new home should be in the backyard lol

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Forgot to mention that some are bad and will eat stuff they aren't supposed to and some are supposedly just scavengers that eat detritus and stuff, sort of like pencil urchins. I wouldn't chance it though and get rid of every one you can catch. If you got a puffer, you don't have to buy it clams this week crack them with a pair of pliers and let your fish eat them

 

[reeferfoxx]

Would a fish store actually want them, or are they considered pests to everyone?

Most likely not. They are predatory pests. Chuck it.

 

[Giraffe0621]

I think it's new home should be in the backyard lol

wanted to be sure they wouldn't be "useful" to someone else before I repurposed them outside

Thanks everyone for being so helpful!

 

[cracker]

return them to nature. crunch them up & feed them to the fish ! Hey that welk would eat you if it could !

 

[sullyman]

I've had them in a few tanks, Whelks indeed, but harmless to clams, corals, snails.................

 

[DeWittTheReefer]

I've had them in a few tanks, Whelks indeed, but harmless to clams, corals, snails.................

I know this is old, but its so wholly untrue that I had to comment. Ive not only watched them munch on zoas and those mini turbo snails, but its also well documented that they do so.