sink hole
- Thread starter bckane
- Start date
It actually looks like a hole left by a rabbit.... "NYAaaaa I knew I shoulda turned left at Albaquerque!"
racermike27
Premium Member
That is really neat looking. I would like to know what made it also, I have never seen anything like that.
invertigator
New member
I agree with Steve O Agios, There is nothing to worry about since your tank is a fish only tank. When the eggs hatch, the young "choupakabrious dondilakis" will only feed on live corals.
Young Frankenstein
New member
Man I just hope that thing is not crawling in your living room, or under your bed, as we speak.
scubasteve247
New member
CORRECT!!!! bret nailed that one on the head. ive seen those a lot in tanks that have moon snails in them,
large white snailes with a huge! foot.
bckane
Premium Member
Bret is 100% correct...I found this on the net.....
Moonsnail egg collars
The Moon Snail Polinices lewisii
Have a close look at the picture on the left. The broken ceramic bowl on the beach is actually not a bowl! It is the egg mass of the Moon Snail. The snail lays its eggs pressed together with sand particles held together with a mucous. The collar is quite flexible, almost feels like its made of rubber with sand particles mixed in.
About half way through the summer, the eggs hatch and the collars fall apart. The free swimming snail larvae become part of the zooplankton in the ocean until they are ready to settle down and transform into little moon snails. You can see that the egg collar reflects the size of the snail that laid it.
So how do you think the other shell in the upper right hand corner got the hole in it? The moon snail made that too! The moon snail uses its radula, or sand-paper-like tongue, to drill a small hole near the hinge of the clam. Then it sucks outs the contents. Many different types of snails that share this behavior are commonly known as "drills".
The actual snail is much larger than the shell and often when mature, they cannot pull themselves all the way back in. To protect themselves, and during their search for food, they dig deep through the sand and muddy beaches at the low intertidal zone of protected beaches where they spend much of their time. This is why most people see only the shells and not the live animals.
The snail is one of the largest found on the west coast and reaches sizes of up to 12cm (4.5 inches). Moon snails are members of the 'gastropod' family which means 'stomach-foot'. They are related to freshwater snails, squid and octapi.
Moonsnail egg collars
The Moon Snail Polinices lewisii
Have a close look at the picture on the left. The broken ceramic bowl on the beach is actually not a bowl! It is the egg mass of the Moon Snail. The snail lays its eggs pressed together with sand particles held together with a mucous. The collar is quite flexible, almost feels like its made of rubber with sand particles mixed in.
About half way through the summer, the eggs hatch and the collars fall apart. The free swimming snail larvae become part of the zooplankton in the ocean until they are ready to settle down and transform into little moon snails. You can see that the egg collar reflects the size of the snail that laid it.
So how do you think the other shell in the upper right hand corner got the hole in it? The moon snail made that too! The moon snail uses its radula, or sand-paper-like tongue, to drill a small hole near the hinge of the clam. Then it sucks outs the contents. Many different types of snails that share this behavior are commonly known as "drills".
The actual snail is much larger than the shell and often when mature, they cannot pull themselves all the way back in. To protect themselves, and during their search for food, they dig deep through the sand and muddy beaches at the low intertidal zone of protected beaches where they spend much of their time. This is why most people see only the shells and not the live animals.
The snail is one of the largest found on the west coast and reaches sizes of up to 12cm (4.5 inches). Moon snails are members of the 'gastropod' family which means 'stomach-foot'. They are related to freshwater snails, squid and octapi.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
That egg collar seems to just sit on the substrate though. Didn't you say that the hole in yours goes into the substrate and tunnels go out from it?
carlosngloria
Active member
Throw some hermits in there and see what happens. Lol
If you think making a hole in the sand is gonna bring some rare ancient fish from china i dont think its gonna work.
If you think making a hole in the sand is gonna bring some rare ancient fish from china i dont think its gonna work.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
With or without a picture - can "you" tell if it tunnels?
Cut the flow off and look down from the top of the tank.
Cut the flow off and look down from the top of the tank.
LeslieH
Premium Member
Bret's right, that's the egg "collar" of a moon snail. http://www.oceanlight.com/spotlight.php?img=05404
