Today I Witnessed a Murder

[Reactor Axe Man]

Today while browsing the Murphy Camera, I watched as the Aquarium Co-Op Crew fed Murphy a few clams along with two good sized live snails.  Murphy eschewed the snails, instead horking the clams with the typical gusto and elan (once he located them) we are accustomed to.  On several occasions he clearly spotted a snail slowly cruising about but continued to ignore them, at one point even catching one between his body and the tank wall before his flappy fins dislodged it and propelled the hapless mollusk over a foot from his point of origin.  Still, no harm, no foul, and I was starting to wonder if he had gained two new tank mates.

A couple hours later I was proven wrong.

It was like an aquatic Mafia hit...  Snail cruising along the top of the front face of the tank without a care in the world before this moon-faced puffer assassin struck.  It was quick, without warning, even stunning in its alacrity, and yet there was a great deal of earnest chewing in the aftermath... I should have known something was up when the tetras started humming the theme from The Godfather...

The other snail fled, probably to the Shellfish Protection Program.

Sometimes I lie to myself and think of Murphy as a happy-go-lucky puffer, beguiled by the benevolence of his derpy bucktoothed smile.  It's a lie.  He's a stone cold killer, an apex predator, Murder Incorporated beneath the waves.  The tetras, jurapari, and algae eaters that share his tank exist because he allows it, and they will end when he demands it.

Here's a screengrab I took of him lying about his alibi:

[Hally M.]

I’m in love with this it was very clever.

 

I never knew Murphy was such a savage!! 

[Cinnebuns]

On 12/21/2022 at 11:24 PM, Reactor Axe Man said:

I should have known something was up when the tetras started humming the theme from The Godfather..

I got a good chuckle out of this lol

[reefhugger]

Enjoyed this post with my morning coffee...well written if I say so myself.

[Reactor Axe Man]

On 12/21/2022 at 10:19 PM, Hally M. said:

I never knew Murphy was such a savage!! 

When I mentioned this to someone I know, they replied:

"He wanted to wait, let the snails stew in their horror and fear of being near an apex predator, only struck when that delicious terror had fully built up, now he waits for insanity to take the other snail.  Then he'll find it, he always finds it."

On 12/22/2022 at 2:36 AM, reefhugger said:

Enjoyed this post with my morning coffee...well written if I say so myself.

I just calls them as I sees them. :D

On 12/22/2022 at 12:02 AM, Cinnebuns said:

I got a good chuckle out of this lol

At least you are not the surviving snail. (Still alive this evening as I write this, I might add.)

Edited December 23, 2022 by Reactor Axe Man
Added a pic of The Monster

[Reactor Axe Man]

Possibly related:
 

 

[Hally M.]

That poor snail is gonna need intense therapy if he survives. 

[Reactor Axe Man]

On 12/22/2022 at 9:49 PM, Hally M. said:

That poor snail is gonna need intense therapy if he survives. 

Post Traumatic Snail Disorder?

I agree.

[mynameisnobody]

@Reactor Axe Man Excellent read, very well written. You should check out The Offer if The Godfather interests you. Have a great day. 

[Katherine]

On 12/22/2022 at 10:34 PM, Reactor Axe Man said:

Possibly related:
 

 

In case anyone else was interested, they used garden snails (is that a species name?). I'm quite sure my mystery snails move faster than that.

[Reactor Axe Man]

Update: Murphy refuses to murder the other snail no matter how badly it begs for the sweet release of death.

[itsfoxtail]

I nominate this for a Pulitzer.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 12/24/2022 at 3:09 AM, Reactor Axe Man said:

Update: Murphy refuses to murder the other snail no matter how badly it begs for the sweet release of death.

 

[Reactor Axe Man]

Update to the Update:

Snugglebuddies?