Diatom growth -- suggestions for cleanup crew?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I'm 250% positive they are not venomous. They look nothing like cowries or conus. I was told what they were when I bought them, they are scavengers that eat detritus/leftover food, and burrow through the substrate to find what they eat. I just can't remember what they were called off hand. They have a spiral shaped shell that is smooth with no bumps on it and a giraffe-pattern color.
 
OK, finally found it. They're Babylonia Snails. They're scavengers, sometimes predatory, but I don't have anything in my tank that they would eat. Since I've had them, all they do is spend 99.999999% of their time buried in the sand eating leftovers. I literally never see them unless I'm stirring the sand and dig them up, they never come out. Apparently that's exactly what they normally do based on this pic progression I found via Google:

snail7wk.jpg



Babylonia%20spirata.jpg
 
If you scroll to the third entry "Request for Mollusk ID" dated 11/16/05, the person describes pretty much the same thing mine do (except mine don't come out when I feed the fish, I seriously never see them).

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/snailidfaq6.htm

Bob Fenner says they are not venomous and that if he had them, he'd enjoy them. They are really pretty, just wish they'd come out more. :screwy:
 
Very cool! Good score!
Most of the time the LFS sell the other snails and that is why I was concerned.
Bob is right, I would be happy to have them too!

My substrate stays pretty clean because I have about 1,000 spaghetti worms! LOL
When I feed the bottom of the tank comes alive with little white tentacles all over the place.

I used to use gobies but the were hard on spreading sand on corals, so stayed away from them, the Nasarius snails are cool too.

I am just happy you don't have a problem snail.
~Rich
 
most of us don't need to worry about predatory snails coming from a LFS or online retailer BUT make sure its a know place with a knowledgeable staff and if you have to pay a bit more from a know source then the unknown its better safe then sorry. Would you rather spend a few extra bucks or loss you whole system?

mr.reef24
 
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