Vermetids or branching coralline algae?

[AstroCoral]

I’m looking to buy some snails, the seller has these listed but I’m trying to figure out if this is a thin branching coralline or vermetid snails covered in coralline.

 

[SPS2020]

Looks like Vermetids to me. Watch for nets when you feed, then you'll know for sure.

 

[AstroCoral]

That was my initial thought as well but I’m confused by the white cross section on some of them.

 

[MoshJosh]

I vote branching coraline/other. The branches appear to have solid and white cross sections. A few of the branches have additional branches coming off near the top of the branch. I don't see a spiral at the base on any of the branches. For those reasons I vote coraline or other algae

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I’m looking to buy some snails, the seller has these listed but I’m trying to figure out if this is a thin branching coralline or vermetid snails covered in coralline.

View attachment 3176429

These are from a very reputable seller and are in fact covered with coralline.

 

[AstroCoral]

I vote branching coraline/other. The branches appear to have solid and white cross sections. A few of the branches of additional branches coming off near the top of the branch. I don't see a spiral at the base on any of the branches. For those reasons I vote coraline or other algae

That was another thought of mine as well, I’m extremely confused because it looks like vermetids on first glance but the more I look at it the more I think it’s a thin branching variety of coralline.

 

[SPS2020]

That was my initial thought as well but I’m confused by the white cross section on some of them.

You could break one and if it is solid like @MoshJosh mentions, then you are probably safe.

 

[AstroCoral]

These are from a very reputable seller and are in fact covered with coralline.

Definitely a reputable seller, I just wanted to make sure as I had a horrible outbreak of vermetids in a previous tank.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

That was another thought of mine as well, I’m extremely confused because it looks like vermetids on first glance but the more I look at it the more I think it’s a thin branching variety of coralline.

The snails you receive likely won't have branches this pronounced, that's a stock photo of hers.

 

[MoshJosh]

The snails you receive likely won't have branches this pronounced, that's a stock photo of hers.

Sea Horse Savy?

 

[AstroCoral]

You could break one and if it is solid like @MoshJosh mentions, then you are probably safe.

I haven’t purchased the snails so I don’t have the ability to do this, otherwise I would break it off and look at the piece under a microscope.

 

[SPS2020]

I haven’t purchased the snails so I don’t have the ability to do this, otherwise I would break it off and look at the piece under a microscope.

If I had read your original sentence carefully before replying I would have realized. :confounded-face:

 

[iamacat]

I’m not seeing vermetids and I know what those look like

I hate them

 

[AstroCoral]

Dang, I’m impressed by the detective skills here. Thank you all!