white disks

[Terra Ferma]

I am not one for I.D.'s, and I apologize if this partilar I.D. has been mentioned before...

I have a lot of white disks. They appear on LR, and on power head suction cups, and so on. They are about 1mm - 1 1/2 mm across, and stick up a bit. What are they? Thanks.

[tatuvaaj]

Terra Ferma,

They could be snail egg capsules. I have already asked the same question (with picture) :) so take a look at this thread if they look like mine: http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28309

[mgk65]

I have these all over, probably vermitid snails.

mgk

[rshimek]

Hi TF,

There actually turn out to be a lot of white discoidal things they might be.

Are the transitory, and thus disappear after a few days or so?

Are they spiral in shape (inside the disk)?

Are they lens shaped or do they have more relief?

Are they solid color or is there some variability?

Get back to me with these answers and we may be able to identify them.

:D

[Terra Ferma]

Dr. Ron,

1. They do not appear to be transitory; they have been in the same general area for a coople of weeks.

2. They are not spiral shaped inside the disk.

3. They are lens shaped.

4. They are solid white.

I took a couple of a power head suction cup, but without a microscope, I could not find out much more about them. They are not vermitid snail, nor are they snaill egg capsules...at least that I know of. I have had both in my tank, and these disks do not resemble either of these.

Thanks for the help.

[rshimek]

Hi,

My guess is that they are foraminiferans; basically shelled amoebas. These are common in many tanks.

But this is only a guess... pending a picture or some other source of information. You could collect and mail me a couple if you want.

:D

[Terra Ferma]

Dr. Ron,

If you contact me by mail, I'll send you a couple. Is it better to send an object with the disks on it, or to scrape them off? Either way, can't afford overnight! By the looks of them, though, they look like they could survive priority mail, if that is even an issue.

[rshimek]

Hi T-F,

Shipping instructions sent by email. :D