Cerith snail stuck in Acan

nden · Jun 6, 2019

Has anyone encountered this before? What'd you do? Will it eventually work it's way out/in?

Next time I'll be more careful when cleaning the front glass... [emoji2357]

Flippers4pups · Jun 6, 2019

Gently remove it.

nden · Jun 6, 2019

How "gently?" Just tried it and it seems the head of the Cerith is near the mouth. When I try pulling it out with tweezers, Acan shrivels up and I'd have to put in some extra force/wiggle side to side to get the snail out. How much tough handling can they take?

eggplantparrot · Jun 6, 2019

nden said:
How "gently?" Just tried it and it seems the head of the Cerith is near the mouth. When I try pulling it out with tweezers, Acan shrivels up and I'd have to put in some extra force/wiggle side to side to get the snail out. How much tough handling can they take?

it's fine. people way under-estimate how tough corals are. just yank it out and the feeding tentacles will let go without much fuss

nden · Jun 6, 2019

eggplantparrot said:
it's fine. people way under-estimate how tough corals are. just yank it out and the feeding tentacles will let go without much fuss

Its not really being held by the feeder tentacles though? It's more like being impaled by the Cerith.

eggplantparrot · Jun 6, 2019

nden said:
Its not really being held by the feeder tentacles though? It's more like being impaled by the Cerith.

oh jeez, I looked at the pic more closely and you're right, it looks like the cerith is digging around inside the acan... I'd get that sucker out quick and check if its actually a cerith and not a coral eating predator. may also want to dip the acan with Revive or other coral cleaner/disinfector

nden · Jun 6, 2019

eggplantparrot said:
oh jeez, I looked at the pic more closely and you're right, it looks like the cerith is digging around inside the acan... I'd get that sucker out quick and check if its actually a cerith and not a coral eating predator. may also want to dip the acan with Revive or other coral cleaner/disinfector

Definitely a Cerith that I knocked off the front glass and didn't think anything of it... Will check out my LFS tomorrow when I pickup some Reef Stew.