new unknown in my tank...

[Jeremy1973]

Okay...again. when I was staring into my tank...I saw something totally new! Lots of totally new things.

One of piece of LR, there was was looked like little cones attachd to the rock. They were greyish in color, with a black tip on the edge of the cone. At first, I thought they were stationary until I saw one of them move!!! These are about a pencil eraser in diameter. They look like little volcanoes viewed from above. I would take a pic, but they are so small... yeah..just tried to take pics and they arn't showing up. Anyone have any idea what these little things are? I have never noticed them before, and I try to take good count of what is in my tank, such as the 3 baby bristles worms I found tonight. Any thoughts would be great. Cause this one piece of LR has about 20 of them on it.

[Jeremy1973]

Okay...attached is the best out of 14 pics I have of this thing...still not very good...also..is a quick 3am drawing I made. On closer examination under a magnying lens, it seems to suction itself to items, much like a snail would, but I didn't notice any elongation it's body when it moved. Anyway... if any one knows what they are...and if they are good or bad...thanks..

[Jeremy1973]

forgot the pic...and I am so sorry about the size of my drawing...

[Chris Witort]

I'll guess limpet of some kind.

[RWD]

Chris sounds corect, it's probably a keyhole limpet. Look here:
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/mai.../faq_rock2.htm

[Jeremy1973]

Hmm..well, I am amazed I have never seen them before. The piece of rock there are on, has xenia, some green-eyed clavularia, and a white colt coral. All seem to be doing fine, so I guess these little buggers aren't hurting anything yet. Not happy that they eat coralline aswell as green algae. It was definetly hard to pick the one off the rock, strong little suckers. heh heh And they don't seem to like the light... the light is on..and none can be seen.

So, what do you guys suggest..should I stay up late again some night and find the rock and pick them off? Or leave them?

[oregon_gorge]

Morning,

We have hundreds if not a thousnad of them in our 240g. I see they are in the 135g sump in the basement this morning. They hang around on the glass and on rock in the shade. WHen the lights dim, out they come in a hurry. I think they are harmless and are similar to having snails, stommatella, abelone and such algae scavengers. Just my guess, but we have had tehm for a long time and they seem to cause no harm

Good luck,

Chris and Pam

[Reef-Dood]

Looks like a dime to me,,,,,

-sorry, couldn't resist!

I have not seen those yet in my tank.....

[clowningaround]

I've only seen one of those in my tank and it was almost half the size of that dime. The thing moves pretty quick for a snail type critter. Ive only seen it once, I have no idea where it goes. but then again alot of things just disappear in my tank. I'm starting to think it's a minature Bermuda triangle.

[Dad]

I had a couple of them in a ten gallon and they did a pretty good job on the coraline, but didn;'t do so well on byopsis/hair....I pulled them and the "off balance starfish" at the same time and coraline growth seemed to take off...can't say they cause any harm (Dick and Tdwyatt didn't think so)
but I had more success with coraline without them than with them....they did no noticeable harm to any corals....here is a pic of one of them...

hth

bob

this link also gives a little information on a tortoise shell limpet...
http://octopus.gma.org/Tidings/limpet.html

[Dad]

another limpet link....

http://www.medinavalleycentre.org.uk/limpet_grazing.htm


bob

[Dad]

I sure didn't like those limpets