Pyramid Snails
Pyramid Snails (Pyrams) belong to the Pyramidellidae family.
Description
Very small snails, generally white in color, have a slender shell that tapers to a point, and do not grow larger than a few millimeters.
What it Eats
The Pyramid Snails use their long proboscis, which is a tube-like mouth, to puncture the mantle of a Tridacna Clam in order to feed upon the fluids and zooxanthellae cells contained within. Usually feed during the nighttime hours; During the day they will hide under the base of the clam or within the scutes of the shell. This makes them difficult to spot. To spot them try taking a flashlight to the clam a few hours after turning your lights out at night.
Pyramid Snails reproduce every 90-120 days. This being said, if they are left unchecked and allowed to multiply; they can cause serious harm or even death their host in a very short period of time
Signs & Symptoms
Infected clams usually have poor expansion and loss of color within the mantle.
Solutions
Physical Removal
If your clam is infected we suggest removing the clam into a quarantine tank where you can physically remove the adult sails & brush out the entire shell with a toothbrush to remove any eggs.
Natural Predators
- Several species of wrasse (genus Halichoeres & Pseudochelinus)
- Six & Eight Line Wrasse
- Green Wrasse
- Mystery Wrasse
Sources
