ID

[CodyRVA]

Been finding more and more of these and small white spots on my coralline algae, as well as my cyphastrea. Anyone know what these are?

 

[CoralManz]

looks like a limpet

 

[CodyRVA]

Thought the same, or a chiton; supposed to be Reef safe but I'm definitely finding small white patches all around these guys

 

[Maritimer]

+1 - That's a limpet. They're related to snails, and feed by scraping the rock with a radula, as algae-eating snails do. The difference is that limpets' teeth are, IIRC, the hardest biological substance known, so they can scrape pretty hard!

Chitons have a jointed carapace - like a knight in plate-mail armor.

~Bruce

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

+1 on limpet.. most likely (will need a pic to ID) the white spots are snail eggs.

 

[CodyRVA]

Thanks guys, definitely not eggs. The white spots are the same size and shape of the limpet and are pretty clearly removed coral/algae. I'm guessing they hit the cyphastrea accidentally or inadvertently. Either way, I'll grab some pix of the spots for reference