live fighting conchs

Hundreds of live FIGHTING CONCHS raised out of the sand at Lighthouse Beach yesterday to take a look around as the tide was going out.

fighting conchs beach

I found one of the FIGHTING CONCHS hanging out in a tidal pool… but wait… I noticed something in the water beside it…

florida fighting conch egg case

This FLORIDA FIGHTING CONCH was laying EGGS! The eggs are released in a gelatinous egg string then sand adheres to its thick jelly-like sheath.

flighting conch egg string

I tried to get close enough to see how the eggs are released without disturbing this busy gal. If you look closely, you can see them shooting out! It’s that spout perpendicular to the eye. Go Momma! Raise some more shells!

Strombus alatus egg string

I think this is a FIGHTING CONCH EGG STRING as well…. but why would she lay her eggs without being in the water? I followed the trail from the string to a healthy FIGHTING CONCH about a yard away. Hmmm. Maybe that jelly like sheath protects them when the tide recedes. I dunno, but I hope she raises healthy shells and I sure love to find new things like this!

fighting conch dry egg string

Speaking of “raising shell”…. We met the Shell Raisers at Blind Pass Sanibel! These 2 brothers, Eric and Chris, have been shelling all their lives and they even witnessed a BANDED TULIP laying eggs in their live shell tank.

shell raising brothers

Chris found that huge WHELK but put it back in the water since was occupied by a monster HERMIT CRAB. They were vacationing on Sanibel with their family from the east coast of Florida . Here are Chris and Eric with (from left to right) their mom Cheryl, Sarah, Amelia and Ava.

The shell raisers

Back at the Sanibel lighthouse, Linda (Pensacola, FL) was busy finding the mini shells…

linda mini shells lighthouse

She found a mega WENTLETRAP along with some other sweet minis…

lindas mini shells

Her best find was this gorgeous MANGROVE PERIWINKLE…

mangrove periwinkle sand

If you look closely you can see a beautiful purple lip…

mangrove periwinkle ap

Bobby (Houston TX) finally found what he was looking for…WENTLETRAPS!!

bobby wentletraps

I was asked a question on I Love Shelling Facebook page by Diane F  about a shell I.D. It was that ROSE WOLF SNAIL again! I told y’all I keep forgetting the name of that shell but now that I can remember the name,  I completely forgot to put it on my SEASHELL IDENTIFICATION page. This shell keeps stumping me some how! Thanks Diane for asking about this shell and sending such a beautiful picture of it. I’m going to use photo for my I.D page- Thank you!

rosy wolf snail shell sanibel

Okay, one more thing… I saw the dolphins playing near the pier last night and I just happened to video them racing along the shoreline in front of an unsuspecting family. This is no fancy video…just a little clip of our own little Sanibel Sea World…