What conch species are these?

[saltyhog]

I have two different species of conchs in my tank. Two are pretty large (about 3.5-4") and the others are much smaller (2"max). I've had all of them for several years so I figure they are pretty much full grown.

This is one of the larger ones that I have always called a Tiger conch.

This is the smaller, "flatter" species that I've always called Fighting conchs.

 

[Fudsey]

Top one looks just like 2 that I just bought as Tiger. Not sure about the bottom one though.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I believe your correct.

 

[Fudsey]

I thought fighting conchs were the larger ones?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Well, there is a bit of confusion on names that I may be wrong.

Strombus is the species of both.

There's the Florida Strombus alatus.
There's the Tonga Strombus pugilis.

Both of these are "fighting" conchs.

Tigers are just classed as Strombus sp.
Typically eastern pacific.

Anyway, I've always know tigers to be larger.

 

[Fudsey]

Well that kinda messes me up.... I bought 2 tigers thinking they were the smaller ones.... I might have to rethink this now

 

[reef lover]

My lfs sells the larger as fighting and the small as dwarfs ...

 

[Flippers4pups]

@Ron Reefman, snail expertise is your thing, what about conchs?

 

[saltyhog]

The other day I googled Fighting Conch and got a picture that looked like a Queen Conch...huge with spikes off the back of it's shell.

These guys are a valuable and durable part of my clean up crew and I want to add a couple of what I'm calling Tigers and 3 or 4 of the smaller guys. It's just been so long since I got these I don't remember where I got them or what I ordered them as.

 

[Fudsey]

Well after adding the 2 "Tigers" I got I realized how much they bulldoze anything in there way... lol I have had to fix quite a few things in my sand bed and attach some others to the rocks. My sand looks a whole lot better already though

 

[Flippers4pups]

Speaking of conchs, I had some fighting conchs in my tank pretty much for over a year and they would slowly disappear. Hadn’t seen one in months. Then yesterday, one pops up out of nowhere and is cruising the tank!

Sole survivor! Lol