To conch or not to conch.....

[DaveJ]

Hi folks..

As some of you may remember, after adding the DSB several months back I have been fighting cyno off and on. While it is under fairly good control right now, I am still getting a section of the sand that is discoloration. It's not deep red or stringy, but is a rust colored dusting. I am not thrilled with the prospect of putting a powerhead in there since they distract from the view... My cuke seems to be doing his best to eat it all, but he wanders around and doesn't stay in the place I want him to, you know how they are. So... I am debating the addition of a fighting conch or maybe an abalone. Now... I have a favia and an trackafeelya (nice spelling uh??) along with a rock with some polyps on it on the sand, my question is, if I get one of the above critters, will they disturb or cause problems for them??

[Doug1]

Dave other than pushing em around maybe, there shouldn't be a problem

[DaveJ]

Doug,

Thanks!! What do you think would be the better addition??

[JDVC]

I have a fighting conch... They are cool looking little creatures.. he sometimes burries himself and i won't see him for a few days, except maybe one of his eyes popping out of the sand.

If you have more then one.. do they actually fight? or is that just a name?

-John

[Wrasse Man]

Dave:
I have a fighting and possibly 2 Queens (possibly fighting, still to small to tell). The fighting conch's will stay on the sand, especially as they get bigger. They will go up next to the glass and work the area that their mouth can get to, but they don't climb rock or glass. I understand that the Queens might climb the glass and possibly the rocks when they are young, but not as they mature. From what I have heard, the fighting will not get as big as fast as the Queen and the Queen has a reputation of bulldozing.

JDVC:
I have heard three stories about why fighting conch's are called fighting, but the one I believe is they are called fighting because they have a switchblade that they keep inside the shell. Whey they are picked up, they extend themselves out of the shell and begin flailing with the blade. I can attest to this one since I picked up my fighting conch yesterday to move him out of the way of a rock I was putting down. I was suprised to be attacked by a snail. But, it worked, I couldn't drop him fast enough.

[Spanky]

Scott,

that's the true story. LOL they fight you!

BTW the fighting conch aquacultured is the West Indies fighting conch. S. pugilis. Not the Florida fighting conch S. alatus.

HTH
Jerel

[DaveJ]

Well ain't that interesting!! Tell me, do they come with warning labels on their shells? I imagine that doesn't feel too good if they hit you with it either. I am thinking that Zorro would be a good name for one that I am getting. What do you all think??

Okay Jerel....

What is the difference between the West Indies species and the Florida species? Where can we get them? Which is the preferred one? In my mind the preferred would be the smallest fully grown.

[Spanky]

The smallest is the basic 'ol Florida variety. For that you'll have to probably see if you can talk Greg or Chris into wading around their neighborhoods for you.

I think some of the West coast (Florida) collectors would have them from time to time.

These guys that are available aquacultured (maricultured) are a spin-off of the seafood industry, so for obvious reasons, no one was working with the smallest ones. The West Indies conch was proposed as a food industry for Trinidad, Turks, etc. and in spite of ORA's rumors, they are raised here in the Keys. When they are shippable (around 3/4-1") they are shipped out of here to the islands, pet trade, whatever.

Don't worry about size, they don't grow that fast. And really, no matter which one you get you'll have a hard time feeding them when they reach any size. Don't forget the Rabbit Pellets. LOL

HTH
Jerel

[DaveJ]

Which is the preferred method of getting those rabbit pellets into the tank?? Just follow around the rabbit and collect them as they fall out of him, or just hold him by the ears above the tank and squeeze them out like a tube of toothpaste?

Thanks for the info!!!

[Spanky]

ROTFLMAO

I think it's a matter of technique.

I prefer the hold by the ears and shake method, but I'm always in a hurry.

LMAO

[Wrasse Man]

Originally posted by landescaper
Don't forget the Rabbit Pellets. LOL

HTH
Jerel

Huh? Rabbit Pellets? Um, I just let mine eat the funk off the bottom.

[DaveJ]

I only have dubious sources for this information but apparently the fisheries feed rabbit pellets, the food not the by product after it's eaten, to conchs when raising them. The whole rabbit pellet poop thing is a take off from chat the other night.

[Heavan]

I think it is my duty as a young member to let you know I have a rabbit that I am willing to share the pellets from.

I wouldbe more then happy to allow you all to rotate cage cleaning turns for collecting.....hehehe

Renae

[Junkzoo]

Jerel,,,only you,,,