Possible Heliacus snail?

[Totlxtc]

Hi Ron,

I have this snail on my zoanthids and wondering if it is a baby Sundail snail. I'm thinking not since it doenst have the markings but being its the size of a pin head at the moment i wasnt sure. These pictures are at 60x. My zoanthids have been closed up for several days. Parameters are good and all other corals are fine. So i pulled them to see if there was anything noticeable wrong and spotted this guy right away. I havent looked yet to see if there were more. Thanks.



http://images6.fotki.com/v94/photos/4/47209/190466/snail5-vi.jpg

http://images6.fotki.com/v93/photos/4/47209/190466/snail6-vi.jpg

Snail part way out.

http://images6.fotki.com/v95/photos/4/47209/190466/snail7-vi.jpg

Empty shell with some salt crystals on it.

http://images6.fotki.com/v94/photos/4/47209/190466/snail8-vi.jpg

[rshimek]

Hi Chuck,

The snail pictured is a beneficial algal grazer in the genus Collonista. See here (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/index.htm) for information about them.

[Totlxtc]

Thank you very much! They must just be irratating the coral from crawling around on it.