Am I Bad?

[SoCalJake]

I have this snail/slug looking critter that's been seen moving about. Looks line a snail because of the hard shell but it exposes a lot of its foot (more than most snails) so I was thinking maybe it was a slug. Either way, this "thing" cruises around at a fairly fast pace... definately quicker than my Cerith or Margarita snails. Is it safe? I think so because I've been monitoring it for a few months and everything seems to be fine. He's been around long enough to grow corraline on his shell.

Here's are the pics of it on the glass bottom. Thanks !!

[pagojoe]

You almost never see these snails with coralline growth on them, but I'm pretty sure it's Stomatella impertusa (see those grooves on the right side of the shell in the top pic?). It's a lot easier to ID snails looking at them from the top and sides rather than straight up the snooter. It should be a nice guy in any case, an algae grazer.

Cheers,



Don

[SoCalJake]

Thanks.

Glad to find out he's doesn't need an *** kicking. I certainly didn't buy him -- must have hitchhiked his way on a chunk of live rock.

[BristlewormKing]

SoCalJake - be careful if you ever have to move him, wait until he is on a rock or something. If you pull the shell off his back (foot), he will be dead within hours. I had a couple hitchhike in from some corals I bought from L.A. and have about two dozen across various tanks. They spawn in the water column (pretty cool to watch, but I have only actually seen it happen once). They are not as efficient as Astraeas, but they don't knock stuff over either and they can get into smaller areas.