Breeding Journal, Snail Species: Columbellid euplica

Collumbellid snail, also known as Hawaiian Strombus

Given its aliases as “Hawaiian Strombus” and “Strombus maculatus,” the Collumbellid euplica snail may not have its nomenclature, especially to the species level, all settled. But that doesn’t change how awesome of a snail it is. As shown below, they reproduce faster than rabbits (or for that matter, faster than my Stomatella hitchhiker snails!) They stay small, graze over rocks, and fit into the smallest nooks and crannies. As the algal population waxes and wanes, so, too, does their population for a harmonized tank. Back when Collumbellid snails were covering my tank, I decided to join the Marine Breeding Initiative. This was my journal entry documenting the breeding. Some of it may be a bit repetitive, but it was required for the breeding documentation.

Collumbellid snail, also known as Hawaiian Strombus
Collumbellid Snail, also known as Hawaiian Strombus Snail

General Information:

General Species: Columbellid euplica

Social Structure: Group

Size of Individuals: 1/2″ long

Age of Individuals: Unknown

Date added to Tank: May 2009

Collumbellid Snail, also known as Hawaiian Strombus Snail
Collumbellid Snail, also known as Hawaiian Strombus Snail

Broodstock Tank Details:

Size of Tank: 40g
Substrate Details: Bare bottom
Filtration Details: Live Rock, Skimmer, Carbon/GFO Reactor
Water Changes: 10% Weekly
Water Temperature: 76 degrees
Lighting: 6 x 39W T-5
Lighting Cycle: 8 hours on
Other Tank Inhabitants: Blue legged crabs, nerites, corals

Broodstock Tank Feeding Details:

Food Types: Formula Two Pellets and DIY Frozen Blended Seafood
Feeding Schedule: 2x/week

Spawning Details:

Date of First Spawn: Within days after introduction to the aquarium
Spawn Time of Day: Unknown

Dates of Consecutive Spawns: Constantly?

Courtship Details: None apparent yet

Egg Size: <1mm

Egg Color: White

Egg Count: 6-7 in each packet

Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses laid on 1/27/2012
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses laid on 1/27/2012
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses laid on 1/27/2012 - closeup
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses laid on 1/27/2012 – closeup
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses status on 2/2/2012 - closeup
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses status on 2/2/2012 – closeup
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses status on 2/6/2012 - closeup
Collumbellid Snail Egg Masses status on 2/6/2012 – closeup

Hatch Details:

Hatch Date: 2/6/2012

Hatch Time of Day: Unknown

# Days after Spawn: ~28 days

Larvae Description: Adult-like

Hatching Collumbellid snails
Hatching Collumbellid snails (from a different spawn)

Larval Tank Details:

Temperature: 76
Size of Larval Tank: 40g
Substrate Details: Bare Bottom
Other Tank Decor: Live Rock
Filtration Details: Live Rock, Skimmer, GFO/Carbon Media Reactor
Lighting: 6 x 39W T-5
Lighting Cycle: 8 on
Water Changes: 10% weekly

Larval Tank Feeding Details:

Food Types: Algae
Feeding Schedule: Constant

Metamorphosis/Settlement:

Date of Settlement Start: N/A
Days after Hatch: N/A
Date of Settlement End: N/A
Description of Fry: Appear as small adults

Juvenile Collumbellid Snail Size Reference with Hydroid
Juvenile Collumbellid Snail Size Reference with Hydroid
Juvenile Collumbellid Snail
Week-old Juvenile Collumbellid Snail

Grow-Out Tank Details:

Temperature: 76
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 40g
Substrate Details: Bare Bottom
Other Tank Decor: Live Rock
Filtration Details: Live Rock, Skimmer, GFO/Carbon Media Reactor
Lighting: 6 x 39W T-5
Lighting Cycle: 8 hr on
Water Changes: 10% weekly
Size at Transfer: N/A
Age at Transfer: N/A

Grow-Out Feeding Details:

Food Types: Algae
Feeding Schedule: Constant

Additional Information:

Update 14 June 2012:  I’ve found that these snails are able to make some sort of mucus thread that they are able to slide down in order to drop themselves lower in the tank.  I also got to watch a snail glide across the top of the water surface, make a thread (only held by the surface tension), and then drop down to the bottom of the tank.  It’s quite fascinating to watch!

Great Reference Info (with photos):  http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/11/aafeature

Identification of Marine Snails

Conch

Marine snails come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and function, so proper identification is crucial! These marine snails are some of the most frequently available or commonly seen.

Astraea sp (Astrea Snail): Reef Safe

Astraea

These snails annoy me the most – so much so that I have to question how they aren’t extinct. They frequently tip over and have no ability to right themselves, thus being easy targets for predators. I would avoid this snail unless you have enough time to flip each one back over constantly or enough money to keep buying more.

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Cerithium sp. (Cerith Snail): Reef Safe

Cerith Snail

Cerith snails are a beneficial part of a reef tank clean-up crew. They reproduce in captivity to some extent (some aquarists have more success than others, and juveniles typically make it to adulthood in small numbers). The egg pattern can be very distinctive (depending on species), as shown below. Exact species identification of this marine snail is challenging, as the patterns, shell structure, and anatomy vary so little. Knowing the exact origination region may help.

Click to learn more about identification of marine snail eggs!

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Collonista Snails: Reef Safe

Collonista Snails

Most reefkeepers have probably run across the Collonista snail at some point or another – likely as a teeny speck of a snail on live rock or on the glass. These reproduce in captivity faster than the Columbellid snails in my experience, and it isn’t unusual for them to just about cover every surface at night. For whatever reason, I rarely see them grow larger than a pinhead, but I have had some grow over the years to about the size of a pea.

Some hobbyists confuse these as baby Turbo snails or baby Nerites, but they are a separate species. Again, the proper identification of marine snails is important, as these can become a nuisance since small size allows them to clog pumps

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Collumbellid Snails (Hawaiian Strombus) (Strombus maculatus): Reef Safe

Collumbellid Snail

Ok, so maybe the taxonomy isn’t entirely straightened out on this snail yet, but regardless of name, they’re great snails. As you can see by the egg sacs below, they reproduce faster than rabbits. If you’re sick of buying snails, then these are your best choice, in my opinion. They graze over rocks and on glass, stay small, and their population waxes and wanes with food supply.

For more information on Collumbellid snails, read on here!

Click to learn more about identification of marine snail eggs!

Collumbellid Eggs
Collumbellid Eggs

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Strombus sp. (Conch): Reef Safe

Conch

If you are looking for a snail with a bit of a personality, then I suggest a conch. They often submerse themselves below the sand with an eyeball or two sticking up to watch their surroundings. They’re great algae-eaters and sand-sifters. I had (what I assume to be) a mated pair that regularly laid eggs. Unfortunately, I never had success raising these in captivity.

Click to learn more about identification of marine snail eggs!

Note: Strombus alatus (“Florida Fighting Conch”) and “Tiger Conch” are pictured.

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Melongena corona (Crown Conch): Not Reef Safe

Crown Conch

Despite the fact that this conch was photographed in front of some zoanthids, this conch is not considered reef safe. They are mollusk predators, and they may even be cannibalistic. Unfortunately, my identification of marine snails as a newbie to the hobby was pretty poor when I bought this conch. Live and learn!

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Monetaria annulus (Money Cowrie): Reef Safe

Money Cowrie

This fairly small cowrie is reef safe, as it eats a variety of film and hair alga across the tank.

*Note: This cowrie was previously named Cypraea annulus.

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Nerita sp. (Nerite Snail): Reef Safe

Nerite Snail

Nerites are my first choice to purchase. Nerites lay eggs very frequently (small white dots), but unfortunately, I only know of one case personally where a hobbyist was able to get the eggs to grow to adulthood.

The only downside to these snails is that they prefer tidal zones, so they will hang out toward the top of an aquarium. I’ve found quite a few that managed to escape before, and it’s not pleasant. If you need snails to clean your rocks, you may find the Ceriths or Stomatella snails of interest.

Click to learn more about identification of marine snail eggs!

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Stomatella Snails: Reef Safe

Stomatella Snail

Stomatella snails are one of my favorite hitchhikers. They often come in on live rock or corals, and do well in the home aquarium. But best of all, they reproduce in captivity and will fill an aquarium with babies relatively quickly if there is a lack of predators. Their shell is shaped like a fingernail, which leaves them vulnerable to hermit crabs and other predators (however, they can lose their tail like salamanders can in self-defense). They’re most active at night, and it is not unusual to find them perched on a high rock in the middle of the night releasing what appears to be small puffs of smoke (they’re broadcast spawners.) If you’re looking for an active day-time snail, Ceriths and Nerites are good options.

Click to learn more about identification of marine snail eggs!

Black Stomatella Snail
Black Stomatella Snail

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Astraea phoebia (Ninja Star Snail): Reef Safe

Ninja Star Snail

I occasionally see these for sale, and of course, I shelled out the extra cash for a “really cool looking snail”. In my opinion, they’re neat, but not worth the extra expense. I am not aware of their reproductive capability in captivity.

Ninja Star
Ninja Star

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Vermetid Snails: Reef Safe with Caution

Vermetid Snail

Vermetid snails are one of my worst enemies. They are stationary snails as adults and build permanent tube structures on the reef. To catch food, they extend a sticky mucus strand and reel it back in to eat the particles. They aren’t exactly harmful to a reef, but the mucus strands may annoy corals and detract from their physical appearance. And, while they may not be harmful to a reef, they are harmful to soft skin! Picking up a rock with these sharp tubes may cause significant pain/injury and even infection. Use caution when working around these hitchhikers.

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Nassarius sp Snails: Reef Safe

Tonga Nassarius Snail

Although Nassarius snails are reef safe, there are whelks (predatory snails) that look very similar. Nassarius sp. are great sand-sifters, and they have an amazing sense of smell. Within seconds of adding food to an aquarium they will surface from the sand and head straight for the food.

Click to learn more about identification of marine snail eggs!

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Turbo sp. (Mexican Turbo Snails): Reef Safe

Turbo Snail

These are the bulldozers of the snail family for a reef aquarium. They grow very large and have voracious appetites to match. Not surprisingly, they are not graceful creatures and will bump rocks and corals over. Beware of these snails if you have an overflow as well. Their shell diameter seems just perfect for clogging plumbing and allowing tanks to overflow. (Yes, it happened to me!)

Many aquarists believe Collonista snails are juvenile turbo snails, but they are a separate species. I have not had success with turbo snail reproduction.

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Turbo sp. (Zebra Turbo Snails): Not [Typically] Responsibly Reef Safe

Zebra Turbo Snail

Do you see the Nerite snail to the right of the Zebra Turbo snail? That Nerite is nearly an inch long, for scale. Unfortunately, small Zebra Turbo’s are sometimes sold in the hobby and marketed as great cleaners (which they are!) But, they can become massive bulldozers! This is another example of why proper identification of marine snails is important. These should remain in the wild, or only collected for the absolute largest aquariums. (Sure, there may be some smaller varieties/species than the one shown here, but still, most become bulldozers if they do not starve to death first.)

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Scutus antipodes (Elephant Snail): Reef Safe

Elephant Snail

Although they are generally considered reef safe, as their name implies, there are reports of massively-sized ones in the wild. The ones encountered in the hobby may be a smaller variety. They are members of the limpet family, and they sometimes show a glimpse of their white shell on their back (as shown below).

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Zig Zag Periwinkle Snails: Reef Safe

Zig Zag Periwinkles

These small snails (about half an inch, maximum), eat algae, diatoms, and detritus throughout the tank. They’re hardy, but I have never had success with their reproduction.

Zig Zag Periwinkles
Zig Zag Periwinkles

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Dwarf Planaxis Snails: Reef Safe

Dwarf Planaxis

These are neat reef-safe snails that may even clean in the sand under your rocks. Unfortunately, I’ve never had success with their reproduction.

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Pyramidellidae (Pyramidellid Snails): Not Reef Safe

Pyramidellid Snails

These extremely tiny parasitic snails are shown on the underside of an Astraea snail. Although they typically infest clams in the home aquarium, they also can infest the snail population.

Unfortunately, these came in on a single snail, and then they spread to nearly every snail in the tank. I tried to remove them manually, from every good snail, but I simply couldn’t keep up (or find every single snail every single day). Although I lost all of my snails, the outbreak was contained to my quarantine tank.

I highly recommend lightly scrubbing snail and clam shells, prior to placement in a quarantine tank. So not only is identification of marine snails important, but so is quarantine and observation! The scrubbing can remove adults along with egg masses, and quarantine will allow you time to monitor for any additional adults. However, if some slip by, some wrasse species may help keep the population under control (although, they will probably not eradicate the population since these snails are experts at hiding).

Pyramidellid Snail
Pyramidellid Snail

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Cyphoma gibbosum (Flamingo Tongue Snail): Not Reef Safe

Flamingo Tongue Snail

This snail is not commonly encountered in the hobby, for good reason. However, it’s often showcased in scuba-diving photos, which means hobbyists get excited. Unfortunately, it’s a corallivore in cowry family, Ovulidae. Although its spots make it attractive, they are only a part of its mantle.

Margarita Snail: Not [Typically] Responsibly Reef Safe

Margarita marine snail

Last (and least), we have the Margarita (or Margarite) snail. Sadly, these snails are typically taken from colder water, given a tropical-sounding name, and sold as tropical species. They slowly cook internally over a few weeks to months then perish. Please do the responsible thing and discourage import of these colder water species by not purchasing them (unless you have a coldwater tank). If you do purchase these, they may have a better chance of survival in a cooler tank (e.g., 72-78 degrees F).

There are much better choices, especially the captive-reproducing species. Supposedly there are warmer-locale species, and they survive quite well in reef tanks. However, it appears they are rarely imported nowadays (as they’re typically only found in deep waters), and the coldwater species are more common. This is probably the most tragic reason why identification of marine snails is crucial: to only collect suitable and sustainable inhabitants.

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