Nasarius Snails eating Turbo Snail

[Opticat]

Woke up to feed the fish in the morning, then I saw three of my nasarius eating one turbo snails, the turbo snail didn't seem to be dying since I saw it last night moving in the glass, maybe it fell off and couldn't get up again? Is this a normal behaviour for nasarius?

 

[Billldg]

Unfortunately it is, and they are carnivores. I have the same issue with my 3rd and 4th gen Trochus snails. Each snail serves a purpose, and I will never say this one is bad for that reason. They are only doing what they were meant to do, clean up the tank. I will likely give away my Nassarius to another reefer as they are good at cleaning up left over food and such, but, I want to keep some other snails that I can't allow to be consumed because they fell over.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Unfortunately it is, and they are carnivores. I have the same issue with my 3rd and 4th gen Trochus snails. Each snail serves a purpose, and I will never say this one is bad for that reason. They are only doing what they were meant to do, clean up the tank. I will likely give away my Nassarius to another reefer as they are good at cleaning up left over food and such, but, I want to keep some other snails that I can't allow to be consumed because they fell over.

Nassarius aren’t super predators. I have several species that can’t right themselves in there with mine and generally I catch the ones that have fallen before they’re able to eat them. Spiny nerite snails, cerith snails, and margharita snails all coexist fine with my nassarius.

 

[Billldg]

Nassarius aren’t super predators. I have several species that can’t right themselves in there with mine and generally I catch the ones that have fallen before they’re able to eat them. Spiny nerite snails, cerith snails, and margharita snails all coexist fine with my nassarius.

I agree, they are not out to only go after snails, but they are super opportunistic.

 

[Cabinetman]

Those could be whelk

 

[JumboShrimp]

All is fair in aquatic Love and War. Lol!

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Those could be whelk

The ones in the picture aren’t. Whelks have a tattoed trunk and a trap door that closes when they retreat into their shell that you can see on the end of their bodies when they are moving. Whelks also have a sort of different shell style. Or at least mud whelks do. Hard to explain without having one in person for me to take a picture of.

 

[Chrisv.]

Hmm you learn something new every day. Makes sense!

 

[blaxsun]

I like to stick with a mix of trochus, spiny astrea and nassarius for this reason.

 

[Chrisv.]

I like to stick with a mix of trochus, spiny astrea and nassarius for this reason.

Why specifically spiny astrea? I've never actually kept those-- only the standard astrea.

 

[blaxsun]

Why specifically spiny astrea? I've never actually kept those-- only the standard astrea.

Well, they seem to only prefer the rocks (along with ring cowrie) - whereas the trochus love the tank sides and the nassarius the sand bed.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Why specifically spiny astrea? I've never actually kept those-- only the standard astrea.

Spiny astrea are natural tanks as well. They have a door and their shape means it’s really hard for them to fall over in such a way that they won’t be able to right themselves.