Mysterious slug/snail creature??

[illinifish]

I flipped the lights on last night and noticed a 1 inch slug thing booking around the walls of my tank....I have never seen it before, and haven't added anything to the tank in months! It's now disappeared again.

The only thing I can think is that it is one of my snails that lost his shell- I had four snails in the tank when it had a crazy algae bloom and they all died- I thought I determined that there were snails in the shells that I threw out but maybe I was wrong...

Anyway, whatever it is- hopefully it's a good thing- but should I get some empty shells for it? Or could it be anything bad?

Thanks!

 

[geoxman]

Was it white and move pretty quick and have a partial shell?? If so you will have major problems!!!!!!!!!!! JJ

It is more than likely a stomatella snail. They are actually good and you should have nothing to worry about

 

[Im Lon 2]

Did it look like this?
Stomatella Snail

 

[illinifish]

Hmmm...it's hard to tell totally from that video, but it does definitely resemble that. It was really dark brown, and didn't seem to have a partial shell, so let's hope it's the stomatella snail.
I'm going to have to research them- where the heck did it come from??

Actually though, this is one of my favorite things about the reef tank- I love that every time I look at it something is different, and every once in a while I find some crazy new inhabitant.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Im Lon 2]

they come in the life rock.. You normally only see them at night, or when the lights first come on.

I believe the shell is internal, but I could be wrong.

 

[fazgood]

They seem to breed quickly if those are them. They came on my rocks and are reproducing quickly. I think they laid several hundred eggs on my glass cleaner.

http://www.thewuf.com/reef/images/inverts/stomatella.jpg

http://www.bluering.org.au/Prosobranchia-3732.htm

Faz

 

[capncapo]

Stomatellas don't lay eggs.

They are broadcast spawners.