Live Bearing Snails?

[falesdk]

So just before I went to work I noticed one of my snails on the glass looking odd, instead of having its whole body suctioned on in one spot it seemed to have split in half and I thought it might be dying. I went to work and when I came home all the snails are acting and looking fine, and there are 3 or 4 snails about 1/8th of an inch in length on the glass.

Did my astrea snail have babies or were these just hiding in my live rock come to play on the glass today?

I was under the impression most/all snails were egg layers.

I wish I had a good digital camera, case these little guys are really cool/cute.

 

[Paintbug]

i dont know of any live bearing snails, Astraea snails are broadcast spawners. chances are its some kind of Rissoid or Pyramidellid snail. heres some info http://www.reefland.com/rho/2006/05/identify_rissoid_pyramidellid_snails.php

if they are shaped more like the Astraea then they could be Collinista snails. which are harmless algae grazers.

 

[falesdk]

They were so tiny that I couldnt tell what kind of shell they had really. I know they werent collonistas though I've had those forever.

I'm not worried about it I was just completely surprised to see the snail I thought was going to die and then little tiny snails all over the glass.

 

[Paintbug]

did you happen to see any of them on the snail, or do you now? Pyramidellid or Pyramid snails are parasites. there is a few types, but they either pray on clams or snails, not both. if you see them on the bottom of the snail then you know what you have then.

 

[falesdk]

No I didn't/dont see them on the other snails they've all disappeared into the live rock at this point. If I see them on the bigger snails should I get rid of them? I know some parasites can be beneficial...and can I assume just picking them off the snails would be effective?

 

[Paintbug]

if you see any small white shelled snails on the Astraea or any other snail then you want to remove the smaller snails. they can eventually kill the host snail. manual removal is the best method, but some people have had luck the some fish fish eating them. i just removed them when i seen them. now they are all gone.

 

[falesdk]

thanks! Ya learn something new everyday