Nassarius Snail Babies

[TinaFoster]

Well here's a surprise. The nassarius snails in the nano had babies. I don't know whether I should be calling them larvae or not, they're big enough to see the patterns on their shells even with my bad eyes! Wasn't happy about work keeping me from the meeting, but this was a little good news. I hope they can get to full size without incident!
Though they're in my tank technically they have to be Dennis' as he had golden apple snails breeding like crazy in my cichlid phase, and decided he's the Snailman. That's probably gonna have to be his nick on here!

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

While they may be nassarius snail babies, keep your eye on them. I have ended up with many whelk snails (not sure what species) from my live rock that look like nassarrius snails - they have a long syphon, same shell shape... but they will eat EVERYTHING! And I mean anything and everything (some even eat other snails)! Like the aptaisia (before I knew what it was), I thought they were "pretty". LOL Mine were purple or tan and blue. I finally (after watching one for a week or so), discovered it was sleeping in the rocks - and that is what made me realize it wasn't a nassarius snail and think it might be some sort of snail I wouldn't want in my tank. I've taken several to AC. There are also undesirable whelks that also bury in the sand and they look a lot like nassarius (but their foot is different).

Like I said, yours may very well be nassarius babies. I hope they are!

 

[TinaFoster]

These are brown and white. They are pretty! Time will tell. I've had these rocks 6 months and they were in another tank 2 months before, so hopefully there's nothing new and bad for the tank that will come out.
Are whelks the ones that get horn like things on the shells when they get older? It bites to have to give them up! The colors sound nice. You don't happen to have pictures of them before you shipped them off do you? :bigsmile: I'm so bad--I like just about everything!

 

[TinaFoster]

Well one of them's empty this morning. Something in there eats them. But I only have turbo snails, nassarius snails, and a lawnmower blenny that I know of. Think all the bristleworms are gone. MAYBE I'll get one to grow up and see what it is!

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Mine didn't show up until months after adding our live rock - like the 20 urchins that showed up from nowhere. I don't have a picture of the purple ones - they were very small - found 4 of them over a couple or months. There may be more, I keep an eye out for them though.

Under water, the one above looked just like a nassarius snail - except that the foot is different (which should have been my first clue). It was exactly the same size as my nassarius snails. This is the one that went to AC. It was still there the last time I looked for it.

 

[TinaFoster]

Well you're right--it's pretty! I'll see if I can get a pic of mine. They're still very small, but at least they don't move fast LOL

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

It was MUCH prettier under water - light blue/beige/white/green. Stayed hidden during the day (full light) - only came out under moonlights or ambient lighting.