Help with snail ID

[SaltyDawg]

I just found this fella roaming around. I believe it is a nassarius but I'm looking for a second opinion. It is a little smaller than an apple seed. Should I put him back in the tank?

[CarmieJo]

Yes, he looks like a nassarius to me. In fact, he looks a lot like the ones I picked up from Joe (theJRC) at MACNA which he has breeding in his tanks.

[saxman]

I concur...definitely a Nassarius sp., most likely N. vibex.

[THEJRC]

Definately not N. vibex given the full grown size and the reproductive nature. This is indeed an RSF Nassarius though, as far as species we have no proper identification, at one point I had a bead that it may be Nassarius pauper however due to dissimilarities in the documented larval cycles even that has been all but ruled out. They are listed at the MBI as Nassarius cf. pauper (cf for confit, or ?maybe?).

Put him back in the tank, he's a sweetie trust me. Those little guys and me go way back...

[CarmieJo]

Bob, do you know where your rock originated from?

[SaltyDawg]

The snail went back in that evening. It went under the sand with just the tube sticking out and went between some rocks. Haven't seen it since. I have 2 pieces of Fiji and 2 piecs of Tonga. But the zoa colony came on a 5" rock from???.

[CarmieJo]

He should come out when you feed. My son calls them zombie snails. Joe is trying to get an ID on these and knowing the origin can help.