Fighting Conch eating Nassarius snails

[Beradd]

I had wondered how my hermets were getting hold of so many decent sized nassarius snail shells...till last night..

A week ago or so I wanted to boost my sand bed stirring, I mentioned this to the owner of one of the LFS's and he suggested 2 olive snails and a fighting conch for my system. I took his advise and put the 3 in my 40B, over the past week I maybe saw the 3 a total of 3 times as they in there largeness can completely hide in my sandbed.

Last night after lights out, I saw the large black probiscuss sticking out of the sand and decided to feed a little bit to entice him out. And out the mammoth came... always surprised me how big he is and how easy he hides... being I don't see him much I decided to watch for a bit.. and I am glad I did.
about a foot away from where he emerged he stopped turned a bit and dug in .... much to my surprise he had a nassarius snail in his foot... the nassarius snail flailed ad spun and tried to escape, to no avail. I was completely floored when I saw this white inch to inch and a half spike come darting out of the conchs mouth/probisscuss thing. the conch then repositioned and with a small flinch the nassarius snail relaxed.... the conch then wrapped the shell and all in its foot and pulled it to the opening of his shell where he sat ....seemingly eating the nassarius.... at that point I scooped him up in a tuperware box with holes in him... hes in jail as we speak with his empty nassarius snail shell awaiting a trip back to the LFS. I have some pics I ill post in a bit..

anyone else experience this? did I just not do my reaserch and deserved to be surprised?

this was amazing to watch. if I didn't value my nassarius snails I would keep him but .... he's to big and if his diet is 3$ snails im going to have to part ways with him.

sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors, fast write up before my early appointment..ill try and post pics later

 

[Beradd]

R2r app pic attemp...

 

[Beradd]

t
ake2

 

[TJ's Reef]

aYes unfortunately most of the Nassarius species are not only carnivores but also canibals. My three large Nassarius devistated a population of more than 300 Nassarius vibex a much smaller species. Just as in your description they would stalk and chase down the twirling tumbling fleeing for their lives N. vibex one by one til they are no more............. tough life on/in the Reef.

Cheers, Todd

 

[saltyhog]

I don't think Nassarius and Strombus snails are closely related. Whelks very closely resemble Nassarius and I've gotten them mixed in with Nassarius when I bought them. Whelks are predators of other snails and even bivalves. Strombus snails are thought to be herbivores only.

My conchs have never bothered anything in my tank.

 

[Russellaqua]

I wonder if there's enough food in the tank for the conch. Perhaps it is resorting to this behavior because it can't find enough food? Just a thought. Not sure there's any validity to it.

 

[kschweer]

It's possible that your fighting conch is actually a crown conch. They are sometimes confused and the crown conch is very aggressive towards other snails.