Safe Nassarius or Unsafe Welk

Narideth · May 1, 2023

So this seller on Ebay is selling these 'Nassarius' snails by the tens and hundreds, and I need more sand-churning snails so I got a batch. I'm not entirely convinced that these are just the unsafe carnivorous welks instead of the safer nassarius welk.

This is the seller's image.

I've dropped two into the tank and neither of them burrowed into the sand like my other nassarius snails did, they climbed up to the top of the tank and are now just chilling there at the waterline. I've included several pics and a video of their movement, which seems very clumsy compared to my other nassarius, even the smallest ones.

Let me know if any other features would help to identify these guys. I'm not above sending them back, though this guy has sold hundreds of these and none of the reviews question the snails as being safe nassarius. I'm just more wary since I definitely got sold a few clearly identifiable non-safe welks from my LFS recently.

F i s h y · May 1, 2023

I believe they are Nassarius Vibex

Whelk versus Nassarius | Melev's Reef

www.melevsreef.com

scottkoji · May 1, 2023

i cannot id but i can say that these do not look like my nassarius snails.

vetteguy53081 · May 1, 2023

Narideth said:
So this seller on Ebay is selling these 'Nassarius' snails by the tens and hundreds, and I need more sand-churning snails so I got a batch. I'm not entirely convinced that these are just the unsafe carnivorous welks instead of the safer nassarius welk.

This is the seller's image.
View attachment 3131638

I've dropped two into the tank and neither of them burrowed into the sand like my other nassarius snails did, they climbed up to the top of the tank and are now just chilling there at the waterline. I've included several pics and a video of their movement, which seems very clumsy compared to my other nassarius, even the smallest ones.

View attachment 3131649 View attachment 3131650
View attachment 3131651
View attachment 3131652

Let me know if any other features would help to identify these guys. I'm not above sending them back, though this guy has sold hundreds of these and none of the reviews question the snails as being safe nassarius. I'm just more wary since I definitely got sold a few clearly identifiable non-safe welks from my LFS recently.

Looks like whelk to me

Narideth · May 1, 2023

I'm not certain if they're nassarius vibex. Their shells do look similar, but they don't have that trailing foot/tail. Even a search for nassarius vibex brings up images of the snails with the long thin foot. They all have shells about 3/4-1in in length if that helps as well.

F i s h y · May 1, 2023

Narideth said:
I'm not certain if they're nassarius vibex. Their shells do look similar, but they don't have that trailing foot/tail. Even a search for nassarius vibex brings up images of the snails with the long thin foot. They all have shells about 3/4-1in in length if that helps as well.

i agree, i am actually more inclined to think they are Nassarius obsoletus after looking a little into it. I would be curious to know where they were collected.

Tcook · May 1, 2023

These are like the ones I have in my tank. Long foot and lighter shells.

Narideth · May 1, 2023

F i s h y said:
i agree, i am actually more inclined to think they are Nassarius obsoletus after looking a little into it. I would be curious to know where they were collected.

You have provided the answer I was looking for, thank you muchly. These are indeed Nassarius obsoletus, or more accurately, Ilyanassa obsoleta gathered from North Carolina inter-tidal mudflats.

For those who are curious, these snails have a bad rep, and here's a couple of links to some information about these invasive snails. Apparently they also carry a type of parasitic fluke that can't reproduce in humans, but they can infect your tank and dig into human skin to produce an unpleasant but temporary rash.

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/mg/index.php

https://invasions.si.edu/nemesis/species_summary/74111

Some people keep them in their tanks just fine, other people find they kill and eat their other snails, clams and feather dusters, so it's one of those kinds of deals. What's more, they're a temperate and not a tropical species, so they die a slow death in the constant heat of tropical reef aquariums.

I will be returning these snails, thank you all for the help!