ID Eggs found in filter please

[mdpitts]

Searched but didn’t see my particular egg situation. Noticed these while cleaning my Seachem Tidal filter. They may have been out of the water for a bit. Have them floating in an isolation box. Yesterday the eggs inside the sac were yellow today they look orange. There are approximately 6-10 eggs inside each clear egg sac. Tank inhabitants 40g breeder = 2 clowns, 6 Line Wrasse, green banded goby, nassarius, Trochus, a couple hermits bristle worms and micro brittle sea stars. All have been in there over a year. It was hell trying to get a photo and I had a filter on my phone

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Searched but didn’t see my particular egg situation. Noticed these while cleaning my Seachem Tidal filter. They may have been out of the water for a bit. Have them floating in an isolation box. Yesterday the eggs inside the sac were yellow today they look orange. There are approximately 6-10 eggs inside each clear egg sac. Tank inhabitants 40g breeder = 2 clowns, 6 Line Wrasse, green banded goby, nassarius, Trochus, a couple hermits bristle worms and micro brittle sea stars. All have been in there over a year. It was hell trying to get a photo and I had a filter on my phone

Cool - I haven't seen those before.

You can rule out the fish and the hermit crabs. My first thought is some sort of snail eggs - but Trochus are apparently broadcast spawners, and Nassarius lay more ribbon-shaped egg masses (according to Google). If your tank has good live rock in it, could these be from some other critter that you didn't identify?

 

[EnterName]

Jay beat me to it. But those look very much like snail eggs: See page 10, post #200.

 

[mdpitts]

Cool - I haven't seen those before.

You can rule out the fish and the hermit crabs. My first thought is some sort of snail eggs - but Trochus are apparently broadcast spawners, and Nassarius lay more ribbon-shaped egg masses (according to Google). If your tank has good live rock in it, could these be from some other critter that you didn't identify?

That is the mystery. Nothing new has been added in at least a year. I’ve been battling Dino’s and had some stuff die (had a problem with my RODI and didn’t realize it was the culprit) so I’ve been holding off on adding life.

 

[mdpitts]

Jay beat me to it. But those look very much like snail eggs: See page 10, post #200.

Interesting. It does look like what I’ve got. I do have a weird type snail that hitch hiked in apparently but I don’t know what it is that’s why I didn’t mention it. His shell really blends into the rock work and is kind of flat-ish. About the size of a quarter.

 

[EnterName]

His shell really blends into the rock work and is kind of flat-ish. About the size of a quarter.

Stomatella snail? These are broadcast spawners so that's unfortunately not it

 

[mdpitts]

Ok, I searched for snail egg id online and I think I figured it out. Looks like Nettie snail eggs - I didn’t know I had a Nettie snail in that tank though. Haven’t seen it. The other mystery snail I mentioned could be something called a Ninja Star - although mine is darker and not as spectacular as the photo.

 

[EnterName]

The other mystery snail I mentioned could be something called a Ninja Star - although mine is darker and not as spectacular as the photo.

Lunella coronata has a similar shell shape and is often sold for reef tanks.

 

[mdpitts]

Ok, I searched for snail egg id online and I think I figured it out. Looks like Nettie snail eggs - I didn’t know I had a Nettie snail in that tank though. Haven’t seen it. The other mystery snail I mentioned could be something called a Ninja Star - although mine is darker and not as spectacular as the photo.

Just looking at what I wrote above and noticed spell check called it a “Nettie” snail. I typed Nerite which is just as plausible so why the nit-pick spellcheck?

 

[mdpitts]

Lunella coronata has a similar shell shape and is often sold for reef tanks.

Oh cool! I’ll check that out.

 

[mdpitts]

Lunella coronata has a similar shell shape and is often sold for reef tanks.

Yup. You nailed it. This is my hitchhiker. Pretty name for a snail. Screen grab from my search. Not a lot of info out there. In the center of the photo it shows one that looks like it was smushed down - mine resembles that. Actually I just saw it tonight and it has grown.