unknown snail

First Happy new year to all

This snail hitchhiked from a large piece of LR didn't notice till yesterday. I pulled him off the rock (pinkish foot) and put him into the refugium.
Not sure but from the research so far I am thinking it's a whelk snail.

Like to know for sure.

 

Cant think of the name, but im pretty sure they are reef safe

 

thanks for the reply - but would like to know for sure before I put him in.

 

PM pagojoe he is very good with these ID's. I think you may be right about it being a whelk.

 

Yeah, it's not a true buccinid whelk, but it's a whelk relative in the Tulip family, Leucozonia nassa. Pretty common predatory snail in Florida. It eats other molluscs.

Leucozonia nassa nassa

Cheers,




Don

 

so should I take him out of the refugium? And take him out back?

 

Up to you, if you have a bunch of snails that you don't want eaten that are reproducing in the refugium, you might want to take him back. If there's nothing else in there that you particularly value, he'll probably be okay.

Cheers,



Don