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View Full Version : What the ??? ID Please....


Nemain
01-31-2004, 02:18 AM
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/855stuff.jpg
First time posting a pic.. hope this works.

.... And it didnt, I guess you oculd look in my gallery?

I came home from work today and found these .. things?

They were not there this morning..

Any ideas?

Beth

*crosses fingers*

Aquattro
01-31-2004, 02:39 AM
There, that's better. :razz:

Nemain
01-31-2004, 02:58 AM
Thank you muchly =)

I suppose I will figure it out how to post eventually o_O

Beth

Aquattro
01-31-2004, 03:59 AM
Beth, go edit your post and you can see what I put in the image tags. To get that URL, right click on your pic in the gallery, pick properties and copy the link just as I did in your post. Don't include the ? and the number after it. Add this to the Img tags and you're set.

Nemain
01-31-2004, 02:51 PM
Yup I checked out your fancy work the minute you did it =)

No body knows what the heck this stuff is?

Beverly
01-31-2004, 05:07 PM
Could be eggs of some kind. What kinds of snails and fish do you have?

Nemain
01-31-2004, 05:28 PM
snails: astrea, bumble bee, nassaris (sp), cerith.

Fish: Anthias (square)(1), green chromis (4), dragon goby(1).


Beth

Beverly
01-31-2004, 06:45 PM
Beth,

Cerith snails have reproduced repeatedly in my 28g seahorse tank. The babies are everywhere, but I did not see any eggs prior to seeing the babies.

This is what the babies look like at about 2 mm:

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/hh-bw-28gal-snails-1.jpg

Quinn
01-31-2004, 07:04 PM
I think those are probably some odd sea creature that no one knows about, like my bryozoans or vermetid snail.

Nemain
01-31-2004, 08:13 PM
I have hundreds of the cerith babies, but these are HUGE, about 2 cm tall buy 1.5 cm across. They apear to be attached to the rock only at the midle of the base.

Very interesting indeed =)

Beth

apepper
01-31-2004, 08:15 PM
It looks a little bit like a halimeda algae such as Halimeda opuntia but the color and sudden appearance probably discount this.


Alex

Quinn
01-31-2004, 08:24 PM
I wouldn't be too quick to identify an unknown hitchhiker snail as X. I have a wide variety of very small snails in my tank, in various shapes, sizes and colours, and they haven't grown at all. Unless the babies grow into the actual animal you believe they are, they probably aren't that. There are a bajillion types of snails, as evidenced by the list on http://www.gastropods.com.

Nemain
01-31-2004, 10:35 PM
So it looks like its an egg capsule .. from a whelk =( I guess that isnt a fighting conch in my tank after all !

So now, what do I do with a) the whelk, and b) the eggs.

Thanks,

Beth

StirCrazy
01-31-2004, 11:07 PM
Beth,

Cerith snails have reproduced repeatedly in my 28g seahorse tank. The babies are everywhere, but I did not see any eggs prior to seeing the babies.

This is what the babies look like at about 2 mm:

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/hh-bw-28gal-snails-1.jpg

I doubt thoes are certh but probably simular to the snails I have all over my tank. I can't recall the name now but I ID'ed them from one of the books I have at home so when I get there tomorrow I will post the name.

Steve

kuatto
02-01-2004, 12:54 AM
Don't Whelks prey upon shellfish?(clams,mussels,etc)

Jim

Nemain
02-01-2004, 02:32 AM
yes yes they do =) Isnt that lovely! I am trying to take a decent picture of him, just to make sure, just wish I had a better camera =(

Nemain
02-02-2004, 08:05 PM
Here are a couple pictures of the bad boy.

Can anyone put a positive ID on him?

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/855conch_02.jpg?3190
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/855conch_03.jpg?1794
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/855conch_04.jpg?8412

Quinn
02-02-2004, 08:22 PM
Could very well be a whelk. Tough to know for certain what type, might try http://www.gastropods.com. Some are algae eaters, some eat detritus/decaying organic matter, some eat live critters...

christyf5
02-02-2004, 08:55 PM
Well crap, I found one of those sitting right on top of one of my zoo colonies. Into the sump he went, right quick! Pretty weird behavior for a regular old snail. I think he must have been a hitchhiker or something.

Christy :)

Nemain
02-02-2004, 09:10 PM
Yup this sucker is heading back to the fish store PRONTO. Who the heck would sell this as a fighting conch GRRR serves me right for not bringing a picture book with me.

Anyone know how to remove the eggs?

Thanks,

Beth

christyf5
02-02-2004, 09:16 PM
well it sorta looks conchy except for the pointy part of the shell. I was under the impression that fighting conches shells are more flat at the ends instead of the pointy spiral. Besides, don't fighting conches have 2 eyeball antennaes? Mine only had one.

Christy :)

Nemain
02-02-2004, 10:00 PM
So i called the LFS, and they tell me that this is a tiger conch... I am sort of torn, do I believe DR. Ron that the eggs come from a whelk, and that this is a whelk ( looks a lot liek a whelk to me) Or do I take thier word for it?

BTW couldnt find any pictures of a *tiger conch*

Beth

Quinn
02-02-2004, 10:00 PM
Oh sheesh, someone sold you this? Good grief. Can you PM the store name for interest's sake? Definently not a conch. Conches have two eye stalks (unless they're amputees, like Christy's), and an operculum, the crab-like spade foot. The fighting conch (Strombus alatus) does have the crown spikes, but there are a lot of gastropods that do.

http://www.gastropods.com/9/Shell_1329.html

This is a good example of why we should all strive to use latin names. The average aquarist doesn't realize that there are at least 95 species of conch, not to mention the over 150 genera of gastropods, many of which include animals that could be mistaken for conchs. This is a perfect opening for someone to come along and sell just about anything as a fighting conch. There have been some good discussions of conchs on RC as of late.

Edit - Tiger conch? That's bullshit, pardon my French. A search on Google specifically for "tiger conch" yielded four results, two pertinent (relating to molluscs) and neither from a reputable source. Are we talking about one of the south end LFSs here? Tell them to get you a scientific name. There's no way that's a conch.

christyf5
02-02-2004, 10:33 PM
Beth, I'd take it back if I were you. Get the real deal. Who knows: 1. what that thing really is and 2. what is gonna do in your tank. You might as well get what you paid for.

Christy :)

Aquattro
02-03-2004, 12:52 AM
Just as an opposing view, I added one of those to my tank 2 years ago and it's behaved itself since them. I've found it on zoos before, but after it moved, the zoos were all intact. I've never seen it cause damage. Of course there are a couple of different kinds, but I never get rid of anything unless I see it being bad.

christyf5
02-03-2004, 12:56 AM
Nobody messes with my zoos! :razz:


Maybe I'll give him a second chance...if I can find him

StirCrazy
02-03-2004, 01:05 AM
if some one could guarentee me something would only eat zooo;s I would take 10 :mrgreen:


Steve

Quinn
02-03-2004, 01:21 AM
I have plenty of weird snails (even a few small cone snails) and of course my hitchhiker crabs - I'm the patron saint of hitchhiker critters. But I say prove a point to the LFS. Regardless of whether the thing is safe, I'd take it back.

EmilyB
02-03-2004, 06:19 AM
I have some weird species of nassarius, and in researching that found out there are a pile of different nassarius snail species.

Mine don't do sand, they do rock, and are prolific as well. Detritus and carrion eaters like most (or all?) of the species.

I remember Brad's looking like mine, and someone mentioned whelk, but that would mean I have 50 whelks, so I don't think so..
hehe

Delphinus
02-03-2004, 03:06 PM
By prolific do you mean they breed? Or are just very good at doing whatever it is that they do?

The only snail I've ever had successfully reproduce are stomatella. That and "maybe" cerith (but I can't tell for sure because it's impossible to do an accurate count to see if there are more than I purchased).

Nemain
02-03-2004, 03:32 PM
I have had a HUGE snail death ratio in the past few weeks. I had presumed it was due to starting the new sump, in retrospect, I think it was this whelk.

I did return it to the store, and they returned my money and gave me 6 new snails. At least they made good on the mistake. I ordered new snails to replace all that I have lost ( about 40 O_o) and I will never ever ever ever ( did I mention ever?) purchase livestock without confirming for myself what it is.

At least he didnt eat the bristle worms I have finally managed to keep in my sand bed!

BTW - anyone know of a place in Edmonton where I can get a fighting conch :P


Thank you again for your help on this =) I really appreciate it.

Beth