You may not be "seeing" carriers because you are looking for them! I know
this sounds stupid, but my experience is that for 10+ yrs. I never saw one
until one day I was snorkeling in from a reef to the beach looking for drift
in about 2 1/2' of water. All of a sudden I was eyeball to eyeball with a
strange looking lump of crud! that little voice in the back of my head said
something like " that's a strange lump of crud, poke it". And I did! It was
a X. conchlifora whose attachments were exactly the same color as the
surrounding sand, but when I poked it, I turned it over and saw the
characteristic tan swirls and the foot retreating ASAP! Once I had found
one, they have shown up on numerous trips, it just takes finding one, so
keep "crud poking" and your turn will come.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ellen Bulger <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: marginella feeding behavior


>What do carrier shells eat? I've never seen any while diving or snorkeling.
>Obviously, I don't know where to look.
>
>Ellen