need id on snail

[illal]

ok a few months back i noticed these tiny flat lookin snails that i assume were hitch hickers even though its been a year since any live rock was added..well they havnt given me any problems however now they are about the size of a nickel and im starting to wonder whether or not there reef safe???? any one know what type of snails these are and in they are reef safe???

 

[theop]

They are either stomatellas or limpets. I can't really tell from the picture.

The shape looks more like a limpet but they usually don't crawl around during the day. If I had to bet, I'd say stomatella.

Stomatella are great grazers and not a problem. Limpets are harmless to corals but can eat coralline algae.

 

[Kirin1]

That looks like a Limpet to me. Stomatellas (which I have in my 5.5) have a small cone towards the rear of an otherwise flat and smooth shell.

 

[theop]

I've noticed that the ridges radiate out from the center. So I agree that it's a limpet.

 

[illal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9399528#post9399528 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kirin1
have a small cone towards the rear of an otherwise flat and smooth shell.

actualy the cone is in the center of the otherwise flat shell and if you look very close theres these little flower like things all around the edge of the shell

 

[Kirin1]

Like This:

Stomatella

 

[illal]

and you say they may eat coraline??? would it be better if i just throw them in the fuge??

 

[illal]

oh that pic looks nothing like it however after doing a few google searches im leaning towards limpet too.....since you say they eat coraline u think itll be best in the fuge??

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Looks like a limpet to me.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

yeah, limpet

 

[illal]

only thing is every pic i see online it doesnt look like they have the fringes around the edge of the shell like mines does

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

you haven't seen every pic of every limpet either, so.......

besides, you are missing the forest for the trees. ID key #1 is the little volcano looking shell. not the mantle details

 

[theop]

There are lots of species of both true and false limpets.

I'd leave it alone. I have many small ones in my nanocube and the amount of coralline they eat is minimal. Anything that eats algae, even if it's pretty pink algae, is welcome in my tank.