Saltwater assassin snail?

[landdiver]

I'm new to saltwater aquariums (inherited a couple of established tanks). I just added some margherita snails (no clue if I'm spelling that right) to my 30 gallon aquarium to help with algea control.

Within 2 minutes of adding the margarita snails, what I originally thought was one of my small hermit crabs attached itself to one of the snails and killed it.

The next day, I was able to see that this was actually a snail in a shell similar in appearance to my hermit crab shells. The snail has a hook-like structure that it uses to reach in the shell of the other snail. It also can apparently drill a hole in the shell because I find this on the shell when I separate them. (I'm currently down 2 more margherita snails).

Have any of you ever heard / experienced a saltwater assassin snail? This snail does not look at all like the freshwater snail.

Thanks!

 

[joy13]

Welcome!
Do you have a picture of the snail? Look up whelks snail and see if that could be the snail you have that is causing the problems.

 

[landdiver]

After looking closer, this doesn't really look like a snail, but a small conch? There is no tube, but a meaty hook. I have made a decision to remove as I caught it just after killing my last hermit crab and making a move on another snail!

 

[dhemp34]

psyco snail attack wow...now i've heard it all

 

[juice28]

thats mad crazy! you got a mini jason snail in your tank! good thing you got it out

 

[roka64]

It may be a "whelk".