Limpet? attached to turbo snail?

[JJshives]

I’ve had this Mexican turbo snail for at least 5 years now and I’ve been watching this white area on its shell that I assumed was a normal growth pattern as it seemed to grow at the same rate as the rest of the shell. I realized today that there is a mouth and feelers coming out from under this this area. So now I wonder if it’s some kind of limpet and if it’s hurting this snail at all? The turbo snail hasn’t been doing as well lately and I assumed age was a factor but now I wonder if this hitchhiker is affecting it at this point. Anyone seen this before or think it should be removed for the sake of the turbo snail? At the very least it seems to be restricting the foot of the turbo.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

As long as there's sufficient food in the tank for your turbo snail, the hitchhiker is not hurting your snail at all. I'm not sure if it's a slipper limpet, a hoof snail, or something similar, but either way, it's a sessile snail that basically hitches a ride and eats whatever it can where the turbo snail takes it.

hoof snail (taxonomic family Hipponicidae). Some of the species you’d find on things living in shells feed on the waste of their host, others basically feed on whatever is brought into their range by their host. Harmless, sessile, and a neat find.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve had this Mexican turbo snail for at least 5 years now and I’ve been watching this white area on its shell that I assumed was a normal growth pattern as it seemed to grow at the same rate as the rest of the shell. I realized today that there is a mouth and feelers coming out from under this this area. So now I wonder if it’s some kind of limpet and if it’s hurting this snail at all? The turbo snail hasn’t been doing as well lately and I assumed age was a factor but now I wonder if this hitchhiker is affecting it at this point. Anyone seen this before or think it should be removed for the sake of the turbo snail? At the very least it seems to be restricting the foot of the turbo.

Looks like ac colonista or Hoof and will be a harmless snail cleaner

 

[JJshives]

As long as there's sufficient food in the tank for your turbo snail, the hitchhiker is not hurting your snail at all. I'm not sure if it's a slipper limpet, a hoof snail, or something similar, but either way, it's a sessile snail that basically hitches a ride and eats whatever it can where the turbo snail takes it.

You see that glass? I have plenty of food for that snail and the others in the tank haha. All jokes aside it looks like a type of hoof snail to me now that I know what to look for. I had heard of slipper snails and limpets but didn't see any that really resembled this one. Thanks for the ID.

 

[JJshives]

Looks like ac colonista or Hoof and will be a harmless snail cleaner

Thanks for the reply. Its looking more like a hoof snail to me.

I guess my only question at this point is will it attach to another snail if this host dies or does it perish as well? It has been in the exact same place on this turbo snail for as long as I can remember.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the reply. Its looking more like a hoof snail to me.

I guess my only question at this point is will it attach to another snail if this host dies or does it perish as well? It has been in the exact same place on this turbo snail for as long as I can remember.

It will go where it wants especially where there is something to feed on