Anyone good at grazer ID?

[Anonymous]

Are these Cerithium sp?

I've been looking for sources in Japan for when I go back, and if these are ceriths, then I'm over the moon. Been very hard to find anywhere that sells them. I plan to avoid hermits and turbos, but instead rely on a combination of gold ring cowries, ceriths and nassarius snails. But if the cerith are not available, I might just have to get the turbos, as I seem to remember that cowries alone didn't do that efficient a job...

 

[Anonymous]

They seem a bit big, compared to what I've seen on sites here and in the US...

 

[Anonymous]

Do you know where those are from?
I believe those are of the Superfamily: Cerithiodea and likely of the Family: Potamididae they are larger than Cerithium sp. They can get up to 4 cm.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks David. They're from Okinawa. The guy holding them has a licence to dive for certain restricted livestock. Mainly anemones, clarkii clowns, some pretty stunning clams and other bits and pieces (including various grazers).

Would these also be good grazers? I'm thinking that at that size, I'd have the same problems I'd get with Turbos knocking everything over. Plus, if I can't get a reliable ID, it'd be a bit of a craps shoot as to whether they'd start eating things they shouldn't. :?

Shoot, I may have to just stick to the gold ring cowries and nassarius, plus a strombid or two.

 

[Anonymous]

I love it! Pre-sourcing reef tank algae grazers from across the world... man, what a world we live in. 8)

That said, those don't look like any Ceriths I've ever seen. The taper of the shell looks a little different. That said, snail ID is an extremely difficult endeavor. Any idea what kind of area/substrate they inhabit?

FWIW, when I lived in Taiwan (next door to Okinawa) I collected many different snails from the coast, and only once did I end up with a "bad" one- a predatory Conch. The best critter I collected was this kind of tiny hermit crab that lives in the shells of a discarded street-snack Chinese version of stir-fried escargot. They stayed small and worked wonders on all kinds of filamentous nuisance algae.

 

[Anonymous]

I tell you Craig, it's been murder living for 3.5 years without a tank. Now that I'm "only" 6 months away from moving to Japan, the preparation is getting feverish (see my other thread). :lol:

I'm pathetically sappy about taking stuff from the beach. I'd have to get it on a flight to get it back to Tokyo when I'm living there, as obviously Tokyo is in a temperate zone and critters from nearby waters won't make it in a reef tank, I'm guessing. I had a friend in Tokyo who was always putting stuff in his hand baggage and somehow getting away with it (domestic flights), but I don't have the guts to tempt fate with the scary Japanese customs officials...

Sorry, no idea on the substrate. I might end up sticking to nassarius, strombids, cowries and some tiny hermits if I can find them. Not keen on hermits, for well-known concerns about their omnivore tendencies, but hey, maybe if they're small enough...

 

[Anonymous]

Probably very wise not to tempt fate that way. (Though, personally, I always enjoyed my encounters with the Japanese customs and airport security girls... what with their cute hats and all. :lol: )

My guess is that if these Okinawan snails are useful to reefing, then they'll be available in Tokyo LFSs. And I agree with you about the hermits. I'm of the opinion that the only good crab is a crab covered in melted butter. But those mini-hermits I collected, legally, were the one single exception.

 

[Anonymous]

It's actually legal to take certain things, but I know I wouldn't do a very good job at explaining in Japanese why what I had in bags in my pockets were completely legal to a sceptical Japanese official.

As to your first comment, well I'm not sure. The hobby in Japan seems far less developed than that in the US. It might surprise some people, but I think it has stayed relatively esoteric and limited to the hardcore afficienado/beginner who believes what the HCA tells them. There is surprisingly little variety in set-up and not much competition in terms of equipment development pricing (hence me being likely to source the vast majority in the US). Very little learning from overseas as well it seems.

Still, there are some good LFS out there and with a decent selection, so I'm sure I'll be able to throw something together. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks David. They're from Okinawa. The guy holding them has a licence to dive for certain restricted livestock. Mainly anemones, clarkii clowns, some pretty stunning clams and other bits and pieces (including various grazers).

Would these also be good grazers? I'm thinking that at that size, I'd have the same problems I'd get with Turbos knocking everything over. Plus, if I can't get a reliable ID, it'd be a bit of a craps shoot as to whether they'd start eating things they shouldn't. :?

Shoot, I may have to just stick to the gold ring cowries and nassarius, plus a strombid or two.

Then they are Potamididae, they are usually found around Southeast Asia, like Cerith sp. they are algae and detritus feeders. Shouldn't be a problem in your tank.
I'd try to stay away from most cowries and turbo snails.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks David. They're from Okinawa. The guy holding them has a licence to dive for certain restricted livestock. Mainly anemones, clarkii clowns, some pretty stunning clams and other bits and pieces (including various grazers).

Would these also be good grazers? I'm thinking that at that size, I'd have the same problems I'd get with Turbos knocking everything over. Plus, if I can't get a reliable ID, it'd be a bit of a craps shoot as to whether they'd start eating things they shouldn't. :?

Shoot, I may have to just stick to the gold ring cowries and nassarius, plus a strombid or two.

Then they are Potamididae, they are usually found around Southeast Asia, like Cerith sp. they are algae and detritus feeders. Shouldn't be a problem in your tank.
I'd try to stay away from most cowries and turbo snails.

Regards,
David Mohr

Thanks David. Maybe I'll give them a shot. What the hesitation about the ringed cowries? I know a lot are pests, which eat what they shouldn't, but supposedly the gold ring cowries are harmless herbivores...

 

[Anonymous]

Just now done a bit more research now I'm home and can use the Japanese search sites. It's coming up that タケノコガイ is essentially the family Terebridae. Not so good... :x

Terebra is a genus of medium-sized, predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Terebridae, the auger snails

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks David. Maybe I'll give them a shot. What the hesitation about the ringed cowries? I know a lot are pests, which eat what they shouldn't, but supposedly the gold ring cowries are harmless herbivores...

Most cowries are omnivores (feeding on plant and animal matter), most are specific predators, preying on sponges, tunicates, hydroids, anemones, corals, and other gastropods. Cypraea annulus (Gold Ring Cowry) are considered reef safe herbivores but one may suddenly decide to chomp on a new addition to your tank when you least expect it.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm. Maybe you're right. I had a couple in my last tank, but couldn't swear they never ate anything they shouldn't have done.

My non-turbo, non-hermit options are running out... :?

 

[Anonymous]

Just remembered Nerites sp. are quite popular over there. Maybe that's an option...

 

[Anonymous]

Just now done a bit more research now I'm home and can use the Japanese search sites. It's coming up that タケノコガイ is essentially the family Terebridae. Not so good... :x

Terebra is a genus of medium-sized, predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Terebridae, the auger snails

The picture you posted doesn't look like a species of Terebra to me but if they are they don't have a radula for grazing and prey on marine worms, so bristle worms, tube worms, etc. and would be out of the question.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

It's always possible that the bloke who owns the site has misidentified them of course, but probably best not to take the risk. If only I could find some out and out ceriths for sale...

 

[Anonymous]

Cerith are カニモリガイ (kanimori gai) in Japanese and there are loads of hits from shell identification sites, but none from reef tank sites. Damn.