Astraea Snails

[pEEshEE]

I just saw a bunch of tiny white snail shells attached to my Astraea snail. I'm trying to get a better pic of them, but could they just be baby Astraea snails?

There's about 8 or so attached close to the foot of the snail. I have a blurry pic for reference.

Here:

 

[ming]

they're a parasite, eating your snail
pyramid snails i believe

 

[SethKim]

Hope you don't have a clam!
cause it next course on the menu!

 

[Deanos]

Hope you don't have a clam!
cause it next course on the menu!

My understanding is that pyramid snails are obligate parasites. One species feeding specifically on one type of host, i.e. Astraea-eating snails will not prey on tridacnid clams.:snail:

 

[ming]

My understanding is that pyramid snails are obligate parasites. One species feeding specifically on one type of host, i.e. Astraea-eating snails will not prey on tridacnid clams.:snail:

Interesting... I've never heard of that

The link moderator should post a link to this. lol

This is what I found
http://www.clamsdirect.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1905

 

[House of Laughter]

pyramide snals also find their food in the crux of the clams shell as well as those same crux's in the snail shell - so they are likley just hitchhiking a ride and not eating the snail -

As Sethkim said, though, it's only a matter of time before they get to a clam.

Take em out if you can and good luck

House

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I've seen those snails on my Asteas, so I collected a few and sent them off to Ron Shimek for an ID. I forget now what he said they were, but they were not pyramidellid snails, and of no danger to anything. FWIW, I have only seen these snails on Astrea's, not even on the rocks. Lately they seem to be gone though...Take care, Eric

 

[Deanos]

pyramide snals also find their food in the crux of the clams shell as well as those same crux's in the snail shell - so they are likley just hitchhiking a ride and not eating the snail

Jim, you're talking about rissoids snails which are detrivores, but need microscopic examination to separate them from pyramid snails. Here's one Shimek thread about it.

He also discusses the unlikelihood of pyramids jumping from clam to snail or vice versa.

Quote: Pyrams are parasites of specific animals, some go for clams, some go for worms, some go for snails, some go for sea anemones, etc. Then within those categories, they specialize further to species or groups of species of closely related hosts.

They are not opportunistic parasites...

 

[Deanos]

Identify This... Rissoid And Pyramidellid Snails

 

[pEEshEE]

Thanks guys. The threads were very helpful. I took them out.

I can only assume that they are Pyramid snails b/c Shimek stated that, "Rissoids will almost never be on another snail."

I checked my clams, and they're all snail free... I'm just hoping Shimek is right about Pyrams being parasites of specific animals.

Astraea snails are a heck of a lot cheaper to replace than clams!

I'll still be checking on my clams daily for the next few weeks to play it safe.

Thanks again.