have you heard of ILYANASSA OBSOLETA SNAILS???

[gobrewcrew]

I'm wondering if anyone has heard of ILYANASSA OBSOLETA reef snails? I'm asking because a certain online auction website has listings for them and they are insanely cheap. Because of this I am a bit skeptical since I have always been a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". Any info. on these would be helpful.... such as are they truly reef safe, do they have really short life spans, are they really susceptible to disease, ect.

thanks!!!

[toniell]

I've seen them on e-bay but never got any they are a salt water snail but I have never heard of anyone using them or anyone selling them maybe thats somewhat of a sign.

[Booboo33062]

I got some snails off ebay that were really cheap, but I don't know if they are the same ones though. I think it was like $15.00 for a hundred snails or something like that. I was told they were a kind of nassirus snail. I got them and was told they were a form of cold water snail or something like that, and that they wouldn't survive. I had them ordered already though. When they came in they were shipped in a baggie containing a wet paper towel covered with snails. I was told to put them in some of my saltwater and as they started to move around pick them up and move them to my tank. That has been well over a year ago. They are still doing fine. I see them come up out of my sand and on the glass, but not too often on the rock. I still think it was a good buy.

[gobrewcrew]

thats kinda what I was thinking.... a not a very good "sign" at that!

[partobe]

Originally Posted by Booboo33062

I got some snails off ebay that were really cheap, but I don't know if they are the same ones though. I think it was like $15.00 for a hundred snails or something like that. I was told they were a kind of nassirus snail. I got them and was told they were a form of cold water snail or something like that, and that they wouldn't survive. I had them ordered already though. When they came in they were shipped in a baggie containing a wet paper towel covered with snails. I was told to put them in some of my saltwater and as they started to move around pick them up and move them to my tank. That has been well over a year ago. They are still doing fine. I see them come up out of my sand and on the glass, but not too often on the rock. I still think it was a good buy.

same experince here the snails are doing fine

[gobrewcrew]

Originally Posted by partobe

same experince here the snails are doing fine

Wow... I'm very surprised. thats 2-2 from people who made the purchase. Maybe I'll cough up the money for them after all.

[Fly Guy]

just know that, like nassarius snails, they are not algae eaters. They are scavengers and whether or not they survive for very long they should not make up the core of your clean up crew.

[toniell]

Here is a little more info for yah chief

Ilyanassa obsoleta is the most abundant intertidal snail on San Francisco Bay mudflats and in the lower reaches of marsh channels, where it is often found in large herds. As this snail crawls over the mud surface it leaves a grooved trail behind, and when the tide goes out it usually burrows under the surface to avoid drying out. It has been collected in the bay in salinities of 10-32 ppt and water temperatures of 13-22° C. It feeds on diatoms and algal detritus that it gleans from the surface layers of the mud, captures and consumes minute worms (in the family Spionidae) that live in the mud, and scavenges on dead fish, crabs and other animal remains.

[gobrewcrew]

Originally Posted by toniell

Here is a little more info for yah chief

Ilyanassa obsoleta is the most abundant intertidal snail on San Francisco Bay mudflats and in the lower reaches of marsh channels, where it is often found in large herds. As this snail crawls over the mud surface it leaves a grooved trail behind, and when the tide goes out it usually burrows under the surface to avoid drying out. It has been collected in the bay in salinities of 10-32 ppt and water temperatures of 13-22° C. It feeds on diatoms and algal detritus that it gleans from the surface layers of the mud, captures and consumes minute worms (in the family Spionidae) that live in the mud, and scavenges on dead fish, crabs and other animal remains.

THANKS!!!

[tiburon]

Here's some more info I dug up on these: ( from here: http://www.reefland.com/forum/reef-a...ta-snails.html )

"Some hobbyists have asked Dr. Ron if the related species, Ilyanassa obsoleta, would be a good substitute for N. vibex and Dr. Ron has offered his professional advice that I. obsoleta is not a good choice.

Here is a typical response from Dr. Ron to someone asking this question:

Well, Ilyanassa obsoleta are not Nassarius, but close relatives.

They are partially predatory unlike true Nassarius, and they normally live at lower than reef temperatures. When placed in a reef tank their life span is dramatically lowered as they basically are running at about 180% to 200% of their normal metabolic rate.

Secondly, they may well attack sessile animals if not well fed.

Thirdly, in a number of areas these high intertidal animals are vectors for a number of flukes that parasitize birds. The fluke intermediate life stages will infect the snails, and then exit them "en masse" when they reach the end of that life stage. It is quite likely that if you have your hands in the tank at those times you will get an aquarium version of "swimmer's itch."

The parasite stages will not survive in your or your other aquarium animals, nonetheless they may well burrow into the skin of fish or yourself.

They are a cheap alternative to an animal that is already inexpensive. Tossing them into an reef aquarium is deterimental to them, and may be detrimental to the aquarium in general.

I'll add this for your consideration: Ilyanassa obsoleta is the natural host for at least 9 different species of detrimental trematodes. Studies indicate that more than half of the adult snails will contain these parasites."

[gobrewcrew]

tiburon, I owe you one for that bit of research. VERY informational... thanks! (glad I asked, before running out and buying something I knew nothing about)

[frankandmaura]

I got em too...they are fine...a very good bargain.

[Geoff]

they tend to not last more than a year or so in the temps we like to keep our tanks at.

G~