Pyramellid Snails

[Sean_Buckley]

I'm just wondering if pyramellid (sp?) snails do any harm to the snails they hitchhike on, or anything else in the tank? Cuz if they're potentially harmful, I'll start picking them off the snails (on some snails theres none, others theres about 7 or more!), but if they're harmless, I'll just leave them alone. Thanks!
Sean

 

[Donya]

I'm assuming you're talking about the little strongly conical shelled guys like these:
http/www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/Clam_care/image005.jpg

I've read that Pyramidellids are mainly (or only) clam parasites, but IME I've lost snails to very similar little things. The ones I had may not have been true Pyramidellid snails, but they rode in on an unaffected Turbo fluctuosa and killed all my T. undulatus by getting up inside the shell and generally being like leaches. The T. fluctuosa was never affected and the parasites died with the last T. undulatus...so evidently they were species specific. I havn't been able to find any written material with documentation of similar events, but having seen it with my own eyes, I would remove the hitchhikers before introducing the larger snail to the tank just to be safe. You could always keep them in a separate container for a few hours and see if they'll eat algae, in which case they're probably something different altogether and beneficial.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Yup, they're the ones. They're already in my tank on little black snails (which I never bought, but one got in somehow, now I have litterally hundreds), but they don't seem to be affecting the little black snails at all. Should I just leave them if they don't seem to be causing any harm? They just sort of stick to the shell of the black snails.
Sean

 

[Donya]

Keep a watchful eye on the snails that they're riding on. If you start to see any strange shell deterioration or see them stuck to the soft tissue, then something is not right, otherwise if they have been coexisting for a while without host deaths then my guess would be that the little snails are safe. As long as the larger snails are acting ok, eating, not sitting closed up, etc., then theya re not being bothered.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Alright, I'll be sure to keep an eye on that. If I do start noticing those things happening, should I remove the pyramellids, or the entire infected snail?
Sean

 

[Donya]

Probably best to remove parasites first when possible, then QT the host if parasite removal fails (since QTing means adding extra stress generally for things like snails).

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Geez, I may have a part time job on my hands doing that...o well, so goes the joy of reefing, lol.
Sean