+1. I’ve been thinking about this discrepancy a lot but I never got to posting about it. Maybe the operculum thing is limited to Phrontis vibex (once Nassarius vibex) which is shown in the article, but I never kept them long enough to find out. Also, I’m not sure if the majority of whelks in the trade look like the one in the article, but there are definitely “outlier” whelks like the neon orange Kellet's whelk (Kelletia kelletii) that is truly a sight to behold in-person.
+1. Nassarius doesn’t belong to the true whelk family (Nassariidae instead of Buccinidae), but Wikipedia calls them “dog whelks” as with the predatory Nucella lapillus which I think you mentioned somewhere else. I haven’t heard of any specific predatory Nassarius species, but Ilyanassa obsoleta was once included in the Nassarius genus and has become notorious for depleting microfauna and carrying flukes that cause rashes in humans :grimacing-face:.
Vibex have the same "tail shell operculum".
Thank you. You almost had me in a panic. I just got 5 that look just like the ones in the picture.Not predatory whelks and not the issue. The dark ones are Nassarius margaritifer; I have them in my tanks and they have been model citizens and great CUC. The light one may be Nassarius distortus, also good CUC but I have found them to be worse at tracking down food.
Nassarius margaritifer (left), possibly Nassarius distortus or a related species (middle), and possibly Nassarius limnaeiformis (right) in my Anti-Reef:
Nassarius margaritifer in my Anti-Reef:
Whelks (right) have distinctive siphon patterning:
https://www.melevsreef.com/blogs/whats-whelk
As I mentioned earlier, your livestock might be weakened/dying and the snails are seizing the opportunity. I have had clam worms stealthily attack my ninja star snails and leave the weakened individual for the Nassarius. What livestock do you have/do you have live rock with hitchhikers?
Do "good" Nassarius snails not have a pattern on the siphon?Not predatory whelks and not the issue. The dark ones are Nassarius margaritifer; I have them in my tanks and they have been model citizens and great CUC. The light one may be Nassarius distortus, also good CUC but I have found them to be worse at tracking down food.
Nassarius margaritifer (left), possibly Nassarius distortus or a related species (middle), and possibly Nassarius limnaeiformis (right) in my Anti-Reef:
Nassarius margaritifer in my Anti-Reef:
Whelks (right) have distinctive siphon patterning:
https://www.melevsreef.com/blogs/whats-whelk
As I mentioned earlier, your livestock might be weakened/dying and the snails are seizing the opportunity. I have had clam worms stealthily attack my ninja star snails and leave the weakened individual for the Nassarius. What livestock do you have/do you have live rock with hitchhikers?
Is this true?? If so i might have gotten 1 bad one out of a bunch that all have the same shells
My understanding is that N. margaritifer and all Nassarius snails have an operculum (calcareous bit on their tail that they use to seal themselves in their shells), and whelks do not. The ‘tattooed’ siphon is also an identifier, though I’ve had some N. margaritifer that had fairly pronounced patterning on their siphons. The photos aren’t the best, but I’m not seeing an operculum on the three in question.Not predatory whelks and not the issue. The dark ones are Nassarius margaritifer; I have them in my tanks and they have been model citizens and great CUC. The light one may be Nassarius distortus, also good CUC but I have found them to be worse at tracking down food.
Nassarius margaritifer (left), possibly Nassarius distortus or a related species (middle), and possibly Nassarius limnaeiformis (right) in my Anti-Reef:
Nassarius margaritifer in my Anti-Reef:
Whelks (right) have distinctive siphon patterning:
https://www.melevsreef.com/blogs/whats-whelk
As I mentioned earlier, your livestock might be weakened/dying and the snails are seizing the opportunity. I have had clam worms stealthily attack my ninja star snails and leave the weakened individual for the Nassarius. What livestock do you have/do you have live rock with hitchhikers?
This is incorrect. All whelks, including nassarius snails, have an operculum.
Looks like Nassarius snails. Was the Trochus snail getting enough to eat? The tank looks new.Sorry to drop in but what about mine? The big one "attacked" a trochus snail and ineven tapped at him a few time dident even react. Then the 2ed snail showed up for the feast... doesn't look like whelk to me.
The trochus might have been dead or dying...Sorry to drop in but what about mine? The big one "attacked" a trochus snail and ineven tapped at him a few time dident even react. Then the 2ed snail showed up for the feast... doesn't look like whelk to me.
