Identification of inhabitants

[Thanatos05]

Ok, so I am confident these are eggs but from what is my question? Also, should I let them be or scoop them into one of those in-breeding reservoir? I am thinking they are snail eggs but have a hard time accepting it as my snails typically have their offspring attached to them and you are able to see the profile of the shells. Maybe a different breed of snail?

These are the type of snail offspring I am familiar with seeing in my tank.

 

[jam3s]

Some snails lay eggs and not already developed babies. So it really depends on what inverts you have in your tank. It could be nudi eggs, snail eggs, etc.

 

[Thanatos05]

I do not have any Nudibranch, As for inverts, I have some nassarius snails, cerith snails, blue legged hermits, limpets (have not seen them for a while), chitons, maxima clams, blood shrimp,

should I collect these eggs or let them be ???

 

[jam3s]

I actually think it's the nassarius snails. I read on another thread about this guy that had those snails laying eggs, and looked exactly like that.

for sure it's not clams and shrimps.

 

[Thanatos05]

On another note, but with the same pictures, I am freaking out at the fact that the little snails attached to the larger snail (bottom 2 pics) are pyramid snails. Please tell me they are not. I have 3 clams and cannot visually see any on them. :cry:

 

[650-IS350]

Cerith IMO.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=cerith%20eggs&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

 

[110reef]

On another note, but with the same pictures, I am freaking out at the fact that the little snails attached to the larger snail (bottom 2 pics) are pyramid snails. Please tell me they are not. I have 3 clams and cannot visually see any on them. :cry:

Thats what I was thinking they were too...

So I found this thread :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=8623795

Says that they are probably pyramid snails, but a different type, probably feeding on your snail but not a threat to your clam.

 

[seafansar]

On another note, but with the same pictures, I am freaking out at the fact that the little snails attached to the larger snail (bottom 2 pics) are pyramid snails. Please tell me they are not. I have 3 clams and cannot visually see any on them. :cry:

I had those too. Never saw them on my clams, but they sure did attack the large snails. I just picked them off any time I saw them and eventually I think I got them all.

 

[Thanatos05]

Thanks all for your help,

based on your information, I can conclude the it is indeed a pyramid as it is hosting Astrea snail (common characteristic). Having said that, i can also conclude that it is not the clam eating species as I have had my clams over a year and they are very healthy (not sure what would have transpired if i did not have snails for them to host on). Last but not least, there are rissoids snails that look very similar but can be differentiated by looking for unique features such as the operculum not found on pyramids.

Here is another link with good info.

Help...Ive got snails!!!!!! - Reef Sanctuary

Good Info Thanks all, I hope this helps others in the future.

 

[makingbubbles]

They look like cerith snail egg tracks, I find them once a week in my tank. good food for my mandarin and scooter blenny.

 

[makingbubbles]

ohhh yeah the close ups behind the snail are not cerith

 

[nanodude87]

Definitely pyramid snails. In my old tank I had them too and they were all over my clams as well. Not sure if there are different species that don't bother clams or not...

 

[Thanatos05]

What i am still struggling with is the following: I have 8 Astrea snails and they all had a few of these pyramid snail. I cleaned them all off with a brush, checked them a few days later and sure enough they were all had pyramid snails again. I am on like my 4th run and coming to the conclusion that I may be chasing my tail.

:sure:

 

[seafansar]

Just keep doing it and eventually you'll get them all.