Question About Sundial Snails

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SubRosa

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Jul 3, 2009
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I was doing a bit of rescaping on a customer tank, which included breaking a Euphyllia colony off of a rock covered with Blue Green Palys. When the colony broke off, a rather large Sundial Snail (penny sized) fell off the rock. Now normally I would just throw it in the nearest trash can or toilet without a second thought, but I recently set up a fowlr that will never house corals. Right now the only inhabitants are a small YTB Damsel and a ping pong ball sized Mappa Puffer. I figured the Puffer would eat it and that would be that, so I kept it. It turns out that at least at the present time, the Puffer does not consider snails food, since there are Ceriths and Colonistas that came in with the rock and he has never shown interest in them, and I put the Sundial right in front of him and he briefly checked it out and then went on his way. So anyway, the question is, does anyone know whether or not Sundials are obligate on Zoas? It's actually a very attractive snail, has been cruising the tank out in the open fearlessly, and it would be cool to keep it until the Puffer eats it, if ever. But I'm certainly not going to feed it Zoas! Anyone?
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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It has always been my understanding that sundials are in fact obligate predators (zoas and palys). No direct experience with them though.
 

SubRosa

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Jul 3, 2009
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This one apparently never touched Palys, even though it lived among them. The customer couldn't keep Zoas to save his life, but the ugly Blue Green Palys spread like wildfire. I read one anecdote that said they would eat detritus if Zoas weren't available, but........ Not like it matters too much, I guess I'll end up answering my own question, unless the Puffer eats it!
 
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