Pyramidellid Snails Under Microscope

Here’s a huge threat to clam lovers. The Pyramidellid snail will hitch hike in on clams and snails, and will constantly feed on the fluids of their hosts. A small number of these parasite snails on your clam isn’t much to be alarmed about. However, these snails reproduce rapidly and will quickly become too much of a problem for the clam. The clam host will eventually die from this unless the aquarium keeper removes the snails.

Zebra Hermit Crab

The Zebra Hermit Crab (Calcinus laevimanus) is a great herbivore for any aquarium. It eats various forms of algae and detritus, but it will attack snails and take their shells. This behavior is quite common among hermit crabs, and they get a pretty bad rap for it.

Fighting Conch Grazing

Here’s quite an interesting snail, the Fighting Conch. This snail has a very long proboscis, making it look similar to an elephant. This snail is a wonderful detrivore and sand cleaner. It will bury its entire body in the sand, only keeping its eyes above where it can see passing predators. Another good thing about this snail, other than its cleaning ability, is its relatively small size. Unlike other conchs, the Fighting Conch only grows a few inches in length, making it very ideal for aquarium keepers.

Sally Lightfoot Crab

The Sally Lightfoot Crab is one interesting crustacean, and one of my favorites. They have a flat shape, menacing claws, move about very quickly, and have a beautiful color. Additionally, their yellow antennae move up and down very quickly, further adding to their appeal. These crabs aren’t predatory though. They are algae eaters. Of course, they can eat leftover food that your fish miss, but they primarily live on various aquarium algae.

Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Here is every fish keeper’s best friend, the Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. These cleaner shrimp do just that, clean. But they don’t specialize in cleaning your tank. Instead they clean parasites and dead tissue off of your fish. The Skunk Shrimp will eat prepared foods, so they aren’t completely reliant on fish for food.

Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber in Sand

The Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber is a very useful invertebrate to have. They do a great job of eating leftover fish food and fish waste that accumulates in the sand. They will usually stay in a pretty small area of your tank, so you might have to use a couple of them in a larger tank.

Purple Feather Duster and Zoas

Here’s a nifty little critter. It is a purple feather duster that has gold tips. In this picture, the feather duster is nestled between a Zoanthid colony and a rock with red Mushroom corals on it.

True Percula and Anemone

Pictured is a True Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula) and its host anemone. This clownfish and its partner (not pictured) dart in and out of the anemone all day, using it for protection from predators.

Mexican Turbo Snail

Certainly not a colorful shot, this is a picture of a Mexican Turbo Snail cleaning the aquarium glass with its rasping radula (tounge). These snails get very large and usually do better in cooler waters. Be careful too, as they can knock over rocks and dislodge frags.

Ocellaris Clownfish and Rose Bubble Tip Anemone

Here is a picture of one of my former aquarium inhabitants…a very large female Amphiprion ocellaris clownfish being hosted by a rose bubble tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor). The female clownfish are larger and more dominant than the male. This particular specimen was quite large, leading me to come to the conclusion it was female.