| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
jfinch 
Guest
Joined: March 06 2003
Location: Pleasant Grove
Status: Offline
Points: 7067
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: ID my skirted snail
Posted: April 24 2004 at 9:39am |
I found this critter in my tank last night. I've never seen him before (and I look at my tank at lights out often). He's big at about 1.5 inches long. It appears that he has a slit along his back that is white inside. The skirt appears black in the picture and movie but is really a very deep purple. He has tenticles (like a snail) at the front end which you can see if you download the movie (look at the 11 o'clock position on his body, you'll notice the tenticles... when he turns they retract back under the skirt). I didn't touch him, but I would guess there's a hard shell in the center. The ends of the skirt are very "frilly" like a nudibrach, but I couldn't see any of the "extra appendages" that most nudi's show. What is this?
And for those with bandwidth here's a short QT movie of him (I'm holding a flashlight on him for light) http://www.xmission.com/~jfinch/skirtedsnail.mov
|
|
|
 |
Weimers
Guest
Joined: January 01 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2080
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 10:03am |
|
It looks like two that we just found!!! We have a black one and a white one. The black one doesn't appear to have a slit like this, but it could be masked by a little round area of coraline algae that I can see on his shell. Stretched out, he's a little over an inch. The white one is a similar size. Both have tentacles.
|
|
Renee and Damon Weimer
Tankless in Hawaii
|
|
rfoote
Guest
Joined: February 24 2003
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1926
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 10:39am |
|
Hey Jon - Is that white coral on the right the lps you got from me?
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 10:54am |
|
Thanks for the movie. That's cool.
It's probably a Cowrie. If you bother it, the mantle will retract leaving the beautiful shiny shell exposed. Some like to take bites of coral, so watch for it.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
jfinch
Guest
Joined: March 06 2003
Location: Pleasant Grove
Status: Offline
Points: 7067
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 12:06pm |
Ryan, yup. It's the bubble... and it looks great! Thanks again.
Mark, I think you're right. Searching around, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a type of egg cowrie (Ovula ovum) Not too unlike this:
http://www.george-shells.com/pal_ovula2.html
I'll never know if he's a coral eater or not if it's only nocturnal.
|
|
|
|
rfoote
Guest
Joined: February 24 2003
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1926
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 12:15pm |
|
That does look gorgeous, I'm glad its doing well.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 12:29pm |
Adam brought back a Cowrie from one of his collecting trips and was kind to place it in my 75. After a few months I noticed small chunks disappearing from my GN. One morning the Cowrie was just leaving work and heading home. I saw that his work involved eating my GN!
Now it's in my 180 and even if it is eating soft coral I don't notice or miss a few bites taken here or there.! 
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
jfinch
Guest
Joined: March 06 2003
Location: Pleasant Grove
Status: Offline
Points: 7067
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 24 2004 at 12:35pm |
He'd have to cause a lot of havoc to get me to pull him out, if he wants to eat my GN I know where I can get more  . I just wish he'd come out in the day. He looks incredible!
|
|
|
|
Jake Pehrson
Admin Group
Joined: June 13 2002
Location: Murray, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 4279
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 25 2004 at 1:17pm |
This is not a cowry it is a Scutus sp.. Commonly called a Elephant snail or Black Limpet. It is an algae eater (including cyano), but can also feed on corals.
|
|
|
|
jfinch
Guest
Joined: March 06 2003
Location: Pleasant Grove
Status: Offline
Points: 7067
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 25 2004 at 2:02pm |
I knew I could count on Jake!
http://www.seaslugforum.net/scutus.htm is almost a spitting image.
|
|
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 25 2004 at 6:14pm |
Thanks Jake.
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
Jake Pehrson
Admin Group
Joined: June 13 2002
Location: Murray, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 4279
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 25 2004 at 9:37pm |
Jon, according to the link you posted it looks like they may also eat sponges.
|
|
|
|
jfinch
Guest
Joined: March 06 2003
Location: Pleasant Grove
Status: Offline
Points: 7067
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 25 2004 at 10:15pm |
Yea, I read that too. I'll watch him (I was just looking at him about 30 seconds ago), but there's not much sponge in my tank anyway .
|
|
|
|
