Hello Reefers! I am back with another request for what is this critter growing on this snail shell?
Shell Hitchhiker round 2
- Thread starter BarryBenthic
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Wow, that's a unique one for a snail shell - that's either a Worm Anemone (taxonomic family Edwardsiidae) of some kind, or a Tube Anemone (taxonomic order Ceriantharia).
If it's a tube anemone, it'll have an inner whorl of tentacles (basically a bunch of tentacles in its mouth) separate from the outer whorl - worm anemones (which are a true/normal anemone) would only have the one outer whorl of tentacles.
That's a cool hitchhiker, but I'm not sure if it's safe for the snail or anything the snail might crawl over (nems and tube nems do tend to sting); I'd probably try to see if you could very carefully and safely remove it somewhere else - judging by its current placement, I'd probably try to move it onto a rock down by the sand and provide it some fine sand nearby to let it keep building its tube with.
If it's a tube anemone, it'll have an inner whorl of tentacles (basically a bunch of tentacles in its mouth) separate from the outer whorl - worm anemones (which are a true/normal anemone) would only have the one outer whorl of tentacles.
That's a cool hitchhiker, but I'm not sure if it's safe for the snail or anything the snail might crawl over (nems and tube nems do tend to sting); I'd probably try to see if you could very carefully and safely remove it somewhere else - judging by its current placement, I'd probably try to move it onto a rock down by the sand and provide it some fine sand nearby to let it keep building its tube with.
OP
OP
So I just confirmed that snail shell is empty as it was part of my extra shells for hermits. In terms of moving it should i move it with the empty shell or are you suggesting i remove it from the shell? (How would that even be done without hurting it?). I suspect it is a worm anemone from your description as it has a brother on my snail shell that does have a snail in it (pic included).
If the shell is empty, then I'd just move it with the shell. I'm honestly not sure how to safely remove one from a live snail without hurting it - possibly suction it out of the tube with a turkey baster and hope for the best? (Sorry, not much help there.)So I just confirmed that snail shell is empty as it was part of my extra shells for hermits. In terms of moving it should i move it with the empty shell or are you suggesting i remove it from the shell? (How would that even be done without hurting it?). I suspect it is a worm anemone from your description as it has a brother on my snail shell that does have a snail in it (pic included).
OP
OP
All good! I will keep it with the shell and the other one seems far removed from being able to hurt the snail or accidentally brush up on others. Does the amount of flow impact nems? I wonder where to put in the tank.
Flow does impact them, but I'm not sure where would be best for these - I typically see them in the sand bed near the glass or a rock, but this is my first time seeing one a snail shell, so I'm not sure if this species would appreciate that or not.
