My Nassarius snail just ate my brand new Fire Shrimp ALIVE!

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

I’m devastated. We were so excited we just got a brand new fire shrimp for our small nano tank. We have a pistol shrimp and my concern was if they would get along. Never even thought to ask my LFS if my snail would be a murderer!!

How did this happen?! How did he catch the dang thing?! I’m not kidding this shrimp (RIP Ruby) was in my tank for less than 3 hours and now his corpse in front and center with a snail alien style wrapped around his face. Now I’m worried about everything else in my tank! Why did this happen? Genuinely I had no idea this was even a possibility. Can someone please enlighten as to Nassarius snail compatibility with reef tank buddies? The tanks been up for about 8 months now and I’ve never seen this happen. Honestly, normally, that snail is always asleep and usually totally buried in the sand. Our pistol shrimp is fine but he has a goby buddy for protection so maybe that’s why he’s alive.

I don’t understand! I’m so sad

 

[VintageReefer]

Did you see the snail attack the shrimp? Or did you walk by and the snail was already eating the shrimp?

Nassarius don’t attack living things. They eat decaying / dead things. A healthy shrimp wouldn’t let a snail touch it.

My guess is the shrimp died or was laying still and sick/dying and the snail came to do his clean up duties. They can smell death…

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, Nassarius snails really aren't capable of bringing down healthy prey - any pics of the snail, and are you sure it wasn't a molt from the shrimp?

 

[Idech]

Or the shrimp molted, but that’s a bit fast…

 

[VintageReefer]

It is possible. It’s a stretch due to the short time period. But is it possible that the shrimp molted and what you see is actually the shrimps exoskeleton.

They molt every couple months. It could have just been his time to molt and the condition change moving into a new tank triggered it. The fire/cleaner shrimp molts look exactly like a shrimp body but they are hollow. It’s tricked me and many others before because it looks like a dead shrimp on quick glance

“If” it is a molt, the shrimp is soft and vulnerable while the new layer hardens. They will be secluded for a few days and come out when ready. I hope this is the situation for you but i can’t confirm remotely

 

[The new fish on the block]

How big is your tank? If it's < 10 gallons then I would be looking at the pistol shrimp. What kind of pistol shrimp is it?

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

Did you see the snail attack the shrimp? Or did you walk by and the snail was already eating the shrimp?

Nassarius don’t attack living things. They eat decaying / dead things. A healthy shrimp wouldn’t let a snail touch it.

My guess is the shrimp died or was laying still and sick/dying and the snail came to do his clean up duties. They can smell death…

We didn’t see it he was already on the shrimp when we saw him. We just bought the shrimp this afternoon and he was definitely alive when he entered the tank until maybe about an hour before we saw him being eaten.

That’s why I’m so confused because I swear snails don’t attack, they’re carrion basically. Maybe he was sick or maybe we didn’t acclimate well enough? Drip acclimated for about 20 minutes before he went in. Definitely was alive and not looking to molt.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

It is possible. It’s a stretch due to the short time period. But is it possible that the shrimp molted and what you see is actually the shrimps exoskeleton.

They molt every couple months. It could have just been his time to molt and the condition change moving into a new tank triggered it. The fire/cleaner shrimp molts look exactly like a shrimp body but they are hollow. It’s tricked me and many others before because it looks like a dead shrimp on quick glance

“If” it is a molt, the shrimp is soft and vulnerable while the new layer hardens. They will be secluded for a few days and come out when ready. I hope this is the situation for you but i can’t confirm remotely

Here’s the photo of the murder scene sorry for quality

 

[VintageReefer]

That shell looks translucent in the picture. Can you remove it with tongs and tell if it’s hollow?

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

How big is your tank? If it's < 10 gallons then I would be looking at the pistol shrimp. What kind of pistol shrimp is it?

It’s a 10 gallon tank and the pistol shrimp I believe is a randalli type with the stripes. We rarely see him he lives happily in a cave guarded by a watchman goby

 

[Pridedcloth3]

That's a whelk 100% I have a few of them, and they are predatory.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

That shell looks translucent in the picture. Can you remove it with tongs and tell if it’s hollow?

+1 to this - molt or dead shrimp, checking if it's a molt won't hurt.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

+1 to this - molt or dead shrimp, checking if it's a molt won't hurt.

Necropsy performed. There was definitely some flesh in what was left. And there’s some very thick goo at the crime scene that stretches.

This is so sad. I’m just shocked. I’ve never had anything die let alone had something die within a day

 

[Pridedcloth3]

Took a while to sniff one out, but I get them all the time on live rock so they have a home in my refugium. Very common in Florida waters.

 

[The new fish on the block]

It’s a 10 gallon tank and the pistol shrimp I believe is a randalli type with the stripes. We rarely see him he lives happily in a cave guarded by a watchman goby

ok, if it was a tiger or bullseye then I would be suspicious because they get pretty big, but the candy canes from what I have seen stay pretty small.

 

[VintageReefer]

Necropsy performed. There was definitely some flesh in what was left. And there’s some very thick goo at the crime scene that stretches.

This is so sad. I’m just shocked. I’ve never had anything die let alone had something die within a day

Can you get a pic of the snail by itself ?

 

[VintageReefer]

Here’s the photo of the murder scene sorry for quality

@ISpeakForTheSeas
Does that look like a whelk? I can’t tell

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

@ISpeakForTheSeas
Does that look like a whelk? I can’t tell

Now I’m wondering too…

 

[Pridedcloth3]

Now I’m wondering too…

Could be wrong but the shell looks like a purple whelk which would be a species from California. For sure not a nassarius, not one that I'm familiar with at least. Just from experience with the few I have they are efficient killers. I feed them live saltwater grass shrimp and they never miss.

 

[VintageReefer]

@EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal
Need help

^^^Whelk? Yay or nay?