Small white pointy snails

[heitlagerm]

Noticed these on the glass at night. Don't see them anywhere else. Is this the feared clam eating pyramid or just an algae eating snail?

 

[Peter Houde]

Noticed these on the glass at night. Don't see them anywhere else. Is this the feared clam eating pyramid or just an algae eating snail?

Yeah, those are pyramellids, but you don't need to freak about them. There are more than 6000 species according to Wikipedia and many are harmless and are good members of the CUC in my tank, though I haven't seen any in a while. Never hurt anything (snails, clam, corals) in my tank. They most often appear on the aquarium glass in my tank after a water change.

 

[Tahoe61]

Do you keep Tridacna? Have you checked the snails in your tank?

 

[heitlagerm]

Thanks for the reply. I have 1 Derasa. Recently added. Added some Margerita snails, but haven't checked on them. The 80 gal. mixed reef has been up for more than 20 years. It has always been full of keyhole limpets. Never really kept any other snails. I just looked last night because of the Derasa, and saw them for the first time. Probably been there forever. Only were on glass though. Hate to move Derasa cause he is in the sand, but decided to attach to glass below.

 

[Tahoe61]

If the snails are parasitic you should be able to see them at night near the mantle and margins of the shell without having to move the clam.

 

[heitlagerm]

 

[heitlagerm]

Haven't seen any under the edge of the mantle. Also, not seeing a growth band yet. I guess I will be patient. You can see where he is located. That Tang BTW I have had for about 25 years. Came out of my 150, but didn't have the heart to send it to the pet store. Paid 35 bucks for it, on sale.

 

[heitlagerm]

And yes, that is a bleached, possibly dead Digitata. Put a plating Montipora at the top, which is doing great. So go figure.