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porkypuffer
26-03-05, 13:40
Recently I have added a Blue-leg Hermit to my fish only setup, and have been amazed how much fun they are. Impressed with their character and cleaning skills, I wnet to get another one....

At the LFS, in the tank with all the other hermits, I picked the shell which had some eyes sticking out of it, indicating some life...

Once at home, and £6.95 lighter, I noticed that the shell had not moved in 24 hours so positioned the shell closer to the front glass for a closer look, only to find that it was some kind of snail-type creature!

I went back to the LFS and complained that I had been sold a snail instead of a crab. The assistant informed me that "its not a snail, thats a Florida Fighting Conch" and duly informed me that when they get them in, they charge in excess of £30 for them.

I swapped it for a blue-leg anyway and am now happy. But...

1) What on earth is it? Would it have cleaned my aragonite substrate & rocks or just the glass?
2) Should I have kept it? (especially as I like clean-up crew and have a porcupine puffer & fire shrimps)
3) Was it worth in excess of £30? Am I a fool for giving it back when it only cost me £6.95?

I could look it all up on Google but Google never kept a fish in its life....

Tabizan
26-03-05, 14:17
£30 is a bit over the top , but certainly £20 , they are good munchers around the tank , trouble with them is that if you have other hermits in the tank , they would have eventually killed the conch for it's shell.

SunScar
26-03-05, 18:21
Something like this? Fighting Conch (http://www.aquahobby.com/marine/e_alatus.php)

porkypuffer
26-03-05, 21:33
Thats the fella!

Cleaning skills aside, now I know about its defensive spike, I'm glad its gone back. My inquisitive slower moving fish may have come off badly before long.

SunScar
26-03-05, 22:10
Yeah, I wouldn't want to get nipped by him! (memories of my 'stabber'.....!)

Jack

marineboy
02-04-05, 22:17
what does the fefensive spike do? sounds cool :huh:

Stinky Pete
22-04-05, 22:20
I bought 6 of these last week for 2.25 each, it looks like the same. heres a pick


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/billyboswell/IMG_5612.jpg

Gooden
25-04-05, 18:32
I bought a 'conch' a week or 2 ago.Mine was only £4.95, maybe its a different kind, Iv seen his spike, when one of my snails climbs aboard he quickly shifts around the sand by sticking his spike into the sand bed until the snail gets off :D he's well funny n im glad i bought him

:thumbsup:

reefcorals
26-04-05, 14:21
here is a link also ;-)

Sand Conch (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4375306346)