Cone Snails

[sianeds]

So...I was reading up on snails as I found lots of babies in my 30gal which have hitch hikedinto my tank. I found some really interesting little guys which I was trying to ID. They are much too small for pics I'm afraid.

Anyway...I have found a pic of a snail that looks exactly the same as the little babies I found. It is a Cone snail. I had never heard of them. I read a bit more and apparently they can kill you!!!!

They have a cone shaped body and the head is at the apex. They have a single proboscis rather than the more typical 2 "eyestalks". They are very slow moving predators, who use a single tooth like a harpoon to spear their prey. This tooth is hollow like a hypodermic needle and injects their prey with a powerful neurotoxin. There have been human fatalities from this species.

Most cones are harmless BUT if you did happen to find one in your tank be aware they possess one of the most lethal toxins known when injected.

They typically live buried in the substrate and only come out to hunt.


Just a note....I only found this information AFTER I had lifted 2 of the little blighters out of my tank by hand.

 

[Donya]

Are you certain they were cone shells, and if so what species did you ID it as? Pepermint snails look an awful lot like "mini" coneshells, and there are some other small species I've run accross that look similar but where the soft tissue anatomy doesn't match. Having multiple baby coneshells hitchhike in seems strange to me, since they're pretty darn rare as a hitchhiker.

 

[sianeds]

I hope you're right Donya. TBH I would be surprised if they do turn out to be coneshells BUT I was not aware they were so toxic and was just trying to warn others. If they are Coneshells I'll be finding them a new home pretty sharpish but I'll let them grow for now

 

[Lynden]

Fricken Coneshells ... I kept picking up live ones when sifting through the seafloor in the shallow lagoons in Hawaii. I guess sifting though the seafloor is a pretty idiotic/crazy idea; but I have come to the conclusion that I am either very brave... or not as intelligent as I've lead some people to believe.

A good pair of gloves will prevent all likelihood of a defensive strike. The biggest danger they pose is more to your fish.

-Lynden

 

[@ombomb]

From wikipedia:

The bright colours and patterns of cone snails have led curious or acquisitive people to pick them up, sometimes with tragic consequences when the snail fires its harpoon in self-defense. About 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail envenomation. One species, Conus geographus, is known colloquially as the "cigarette snail," in the belief that the victim will have only enough time to smoke a cigarette before perishing. The harpoon can penetrate gloves or even wetsuits. Symptoms of a cone snail sting include intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Symptoms can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. Severe cases involved muscle paralysis, changes in vision and respiratory failure that can lead to death. There is no antivenom, and treatment involves providing life support until the venom is metabolised by the victim.

 

[rhysiboy]

From wikipedia:

The bright colours and patterns of cone snails have led curious or acquisitive people to pick them up, sometimes with tragic consequences when the snail fires its harpoon in self-defense. About 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail envenomation. One species, Conus geographus, is known colloquially as the "cigarette snail," in the belief that the victim will have only enough time to smoke a cigarette before perishing. The harpoon can penetrate gloves or even wetsuits. Symptoms of a cone snail sting include intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Symptoms can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. Severe cases involved muscle paralysis, changes in vision and respiratory failure that can lead to death. There is no antivenom, and treatment involves providing life support until the venom is metabolised by the victim.

sounds like fun lol

 

[sianeds]

Great info Just something I think we should all be aware of as these could possibly hitch-hike into our tanks. Admittedly it's not likely but it COULD happen.