Please help me identify these snails

[BrianAnthony]

Please help identify. These snails were sold as Nassisarius Snails.

Observed behavior since adding them to my new tank are:

1- They stay on sand bottom, glass walls and rockwork. They Do Not submerge themselves into the sandbed.

2- Bits of shrimp are in the tank decaying. Only a couple times have they been observed at the feeding site. They appear to be eating diatoms off of glass and rockwork. This has been the norm.

3- These snails are small. Maybe a half inch at most in length.

4- They have been in my tank for 3 days now.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks ladies and gents.

 

[dsayo]

Perhaps a whelk?

 

[BrianAnthony]

Perhaps a whelk?

I was thinking that..... But I did read that Whelks are bigger. Unless these are juvenile Whelks. Thanks for your feedback. Hopefully others will weigh in.

 

[takitaj]

Looks like Tongan Nassarius. I just got some from Reef Cleaners. They usually hide in the sand then come out when you feed the tank. They are bigger (up to an inch long) than the 'regular' Nassarius (Vibex) and like bigger chunks of food. Really cool snails.

They are more blackish in color than what's shown here (maybe lighting) but this is them (right side thumbnail pic). https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/tank-cleaners/tongan-nassarius-detail

 

[BrianAnthony]

Looks like Tongan Nassarius. I just got some from Reef Cleaners. They usually hide in the sand then come out when you feed the tank. They are bigger (up to an inch long) than the 'regular' Nassarius (Vibex) and like bigger chunks of food. Really cool snails.

They are more blackish in color than what's shown here (maybe lighting) but this is them (right side thumbnail pic). https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/tank-cleaners/tongan-nassarius-detail

Thanks for your input. My snails are olive color to black shells. It's day 3 and they have never been observed digging in the sandbed let alone hide in it. They spend most of the time attached the the glass walls and on sandbed.

 

[nanonøkk]

short foot and they don’t dig i’m gonna vote whelk on this one

 

[NashobaTek]

My nassarius snails don't bury either. They look like nassarius snails to me.

 

[BrianAnthony]

short foot and they don’t dig i’m gonna vote whelk on this one

Thanks. That's 2 for whelk. 1 for nassarius.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Whoops... 2 whelk 2 nassarius. I can't count today. Also... Remember these snails are observed eating diatoms most of the time.

 

[BrianAnthony]

My nassarius snails don't bury either. They look like nassarius snails to me.

Gotchya

 

[NashobaTek]

Is their snout patterned? Clear?

 

[NashobaTek]

Double post

 

[NashobaTek]

Snail on the right is a whelk and has a tattooed snout, on the left is nassarius.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Is their snout patterned? Clear?

There appears to be a pattern. It's really small. But def not clear

 

[BrianAnthony]

Snail on the right is a whelk and has a tattooed snout, on the left is nassarius.

Awesome pic. I'm going to try and take a pic with better lighting.... I'll post when done

 

[NashobaTek]

There appears to be a pattern. It's really small. But def not clear

Zoom in on the picture, which one does it look like? If it's for sure a whelk, remove them and return to the store you got them from, whelks are not reef safe.

 

[NashobaTek]

Also whelks don't climb glass, nassarius snails glide across the sand and glass. Whelks are more mechanical bull acting.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Zoom in on the picture, which one does it look like? If it's for sure a whelk, remove them and return to the store you got them from, whelks are not reef safe.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Also whelks don't climb glass, nassarius snails glide across the sand and glass. Whelks are more mechanical bull acting.

My snails glide fast and smooth across glass and sand

 

[NashobaTek]

Another close up of whelk.