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

[Tamberav]

I don’t see any tattoo snout, probably one of these?

Tongan Nassarius*

Excellent sand stirrer and scavenger. These snails will pop out of the sand when they smell food, or when you are feeding fish. Tongan Nassarius are larger than our popular Nassarius vibex, and...

www.reefcleaners.org

 

[Tamberav]

Does it bury in the sand?

My welks do not.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

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

Now I’m wondering too…

Looks like the Olive Whelk, Nassarius olivaceus:

The only thing you're missing is that this snail - which, as far as I can tell is Nassarius olivaceus - is called an Olive Whelk, and is known to be predatory.

Most Nassarius species are scavengers/opportunistic predators (only going for dead/dying animals), but this specific species is known to actively hunt prey.

Yeah, not a lot of info on what they eat, unfortunately, so they may still prefer dead foods or be pretty particular with their live prey for all I know - I just know they've been reported to eat snails in a few cases (a few of the shops that I've seen offering these list them as whelks/semi-aggressive/refugium only), they've been documented eating bristleworms (though I don't know if the worms were alive or dead), and they've been documented not to feed on oysters.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

I don’t see any tattoo snout, probably one of these?

Tongan Nassarius*

Excellent sand stirrer and scavenger. These snails will pop out of the sand when they smell food, or when you are feeding fish. Tongan Nassarius are larger than our popular Nassarius vibex, and...

www.reefcleaners.org

He does live completely in the sand and only comes out when it’s a meat feeding time.

Just double check his little snoot as well and there’s no marking on it.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

Does it bury in the sand?

My welks do not.

Exclusively under the sand

 

[Tamberav]

He does live completely in the sand and only comes out when it’s a meat feeding time.

Just double check his little snoot as well and there’s no marking on it.

It’s a nass then. It was just a molt or the shrimp was dying. Molts look very real so don’t be surprised if the shrimp actually shows up in a few days. I am hopeful for ya.

Whelks act like snails, and tend to be on the glass or rockwork. They will move across the sand when necessary, but never submerge themselves beneath the surface of the sand.

If you look at the texture of their snouts, there is a specific pattern "tattooed" onto the flesh of the Whelk. Also, the Whelk has a protective shell on its tail that it uses to seal itself in its shell when in danger. This gives it a water tight seal.

https://www.melevsreef.com/articles/whelk-versus-nassarius#:~:text=Occasionally an observant person will,also may eat other snails.

 

[VintageReefer]

I have lots of Tongan nassarius. They have a bright white foot and are peaceful. They completely bury in the sand and come out when food is put in the tank

 

[vetteguy53081]

Now I’m wondering too…

This is a whelk and a hunter of invertebrates and must go

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

Looks like the Olive Whelk, Nassarius olivaceus:

Oh interesting. The top google image results for olive whelk so far look the most like my guy from any of the other suggestions. This is alarming news…I think.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Now I’m wondering too…

Tatoo'ed snout and will also have a trailing tail

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

I have lots of Tongan nassarius. They have a bright white foot and are peaceful. They completely bury in the sand and come out when food is put in the tank

Oh mine has a completely dark foot!

 

[Tamberav]

Oh mine has a completely dark foot!

There is
More than one type of Tongan nass. It’s a common name.

Just pick the snail
Up and see if it has a trap door on its foot.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

Tatoo'ed snout and will also have a trailing tail

He’s snout is a solid color but he does have a pretty long body when he’s out and about.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

There is
More than one type of Tongan nass. It’s a common name.

Just pick the snail
Up and see if it has a trap door on its foot.

He has a trap door.

 

[Tamberav]

He has a trap door.

On his tail or shell?

 

[VintageReefer]

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

On his tail or shell?

On his tail.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

He looks like the second snail. 1280 x 925

 

[Slocke]

Could have been stunned by the pistol and then eaten.

 

[NanoNana]

Sorry for your loss. My fire shrimp killed and ate every other shrimp in my tank when he moved in. I have to superglue aiptasia because peppermint shrimp don’t live a day. He steals food from my starfish so often I’ve started hand feeding my serpent star (which is actually pretty cool) and steals food from my RFA. Idk how one pom Pom crab has survived, maybe because it’s huge for a Pom. It’s not like the shrimp doesn’t get enough food (my nitrates and PO4 are proof that I feed too darn much. He also took a chunk out of my royal gramma’s tail (it was inadvertent I think, but still.) That dancing maniac is the reason I can’t have nice things. Wanna loan me your whelk?! (I’m only half joking)