Thejonzer February 8, 2009 Share February 8, 2009 I just inherited a 20L that I moved into a NC24; all is set up nicely and running very well. All inhabitants are very happy. I've been noticing over the weeks some critters that I was hoping someone could help me ID. I'll be the first to tell you, my photography is poor at best, so here goes: 1. Barnacle/Feather critter - has 10 or so white feather fingers; protrudes and retracts at random and when food is in the tank. Appears to live in a barnacle: 2. Brown mussle - about 1 inch long, footed in the live rock and opens up during the day, expecially when food is in the tank 3. Little 'snail without a shell' - looks like a snail without a shell; about 1/4 inch long, maybe bigger; whitish with antennaes and grazes the liverock; it's the whitish guy grazing near the substrate on a snail shell 4. Big 'snail without a shell' - looks like a much larger snail without a shell; foot is dark and is about 1x1 inch. It has a tube 'mouth' that pokes out and grazes the liverock - It's the dark guy in the center of the picture Any help is MUCH appreciated!!!! Thanks a million in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k February 8, 2009 Share February 8, 2009 Adjust the white balance on your camera so the images appear to match the look of your tank while lit. Opening or closing the aperature can help too. Try to get the subject in the focal range or the image will come out blurry. Take 3x as many pictures as you think you need. Use your computers' photo editing software to make the pictures just right. The shell-less nails could be limpets. They actually have a shell, but it is hidden beneath the mantle. If you poke them gently, sometimes the mantle will retract exposing the shell. The mussel could be a turkeyfoot clam- common on live rock. Good filter feeder and excellent barometer for shifting water parameters. The white thing with 10 "fingers" could be a polychaete worm of some sort or one of the many worms that secrete mucus strands for catching particulate matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8 2 RISE February 8, 2009 Share February 8, 2009 number one is a feather duster snail, hamless, number 3 and 4 are most certainly stomella snails, also harmless and actually beneficial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosterspike February 8, 2009 Share February 8, 2009 hmm... i have one of those "snails without a shell" in pic 3. i was just wondering what it was... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefmontalvo February 8, 2009 Share February 8, 2009 hmm... i have one of those "snails without a shell" in pic 3. i was just wondering what it was... Sounds most likely like a sea hare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Magnolia February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 You were corrfect with #1, it is a barnacle. The snails without shells are stomatellas - do a google image search for confirmation. BTW, welcome to WAMAS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thejonzer February 10, 2009 Author Share February 10, 2009 Thanks a bunch to everyone! How nice is it to have a community of knowledge to share? It's nice to have a hobby where you can find something new every day, even nicer to be able to figure out what it is exactly that you're finding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman February 14, 2009 Share February 14, 2009 Stomatella varia actually has a shell - it's just that it only covers part of the body. I call them 'snails on the half-shell'. They are good guys, and eat algae. They will reproduce in your tank. The shells vary in color from white through green, with and without stripes, to black. I have a ton of them in my frag system. Unfortunately - I can't really tell from your pictures if that's what they are. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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