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FAQs about Marine Snail Identification
16 Related Articles: Gastropods, Sea
Slugs, Mollusks, Abalone,
Related FAQs: Snail ID
1, Snail ID 2,
Snail ID 3,
Snail ID 4,
Snail ID 5, Snail ID 6,
Snail ID 7, Snail
ID 8, Snail
ID 9, Snail ID 10,
Snail ID 11,
Snail ID 12, Snail
ID 13, Snail
ID 14, Snail ID 15,
Snail ID 17, & Marine Snails 1, Marine
Snails 2, Marine Snails 3,
Invertebrate ID,
Snail Behavior, Snail
Selection, Snail Compatibility, Snail
Systems, Snail Feeding, Snail
Disease, Snail Reproduction, Mollusks, Sea
Slugs, Abalone,
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Can You Identify This For Me?
Snail Eggs, Likely Cerith – 8/28/08
<Hello Liz, Lynn here this evening.>
I have this white thing in my tank. At first it was in one place, and
then this morning I see it in a totally different place. Can you tell me
what it is?
<It looks like what’s commonly called a “snail trail”, a harmless,
looping/squiggly, rope-like strand of snail eggs. By any chance do you
have any Cerith snails in your tank? They lay eggs in patterns just like
this. The strands tend to last for several days then simply disappear,
becoming part of the food chain. It sounds like you either had two
separate snail trails (and the first was eaten), or the first strand
came loose and snagged at the second location. It’s not at all uncommon
for this to happen. I’d love to be able to tell you that you’ll soon be
seeing baby snails cruising about, but unfortunately, the young have
very little chance of surviving. On the plus side though, it speaks well
of your husbandry techniques. Good job!
Thank you
Liz
<You’re very welcome. Take care –Lynn> |
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Reef Tank Newbie With Unknown
Slug: Stomatella sp., Overcrowding Issues – 8/27/08
Hi guys,
<Hi there KC, Lynn here this afternoon.>
I have a 34 gallon Solana cube that has been up and running for a little
over three months now, one month of which was spent cycling. It has
approximately two inches of live sand
<Hmmm, please see this link for more information regarding sand bed
depth: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dsbdepth.htm>
..and about 30 pounds of live rock. I am running a 250w MH SunPod lamp
10 hours a day and have a CPR Bak Pak skimmer hanging off the side of
the main display. I also have the stock skimmer doing whatever it thinks
it is doing in the back sump. I wanted to move the CPR to the built-in
sump, but found out that the pump would not fit back there because of
the limited space even after removing the stock skimmer,
<Yep, that’s frustrating all right.>
so I thought it wouldn't hurt to run both.
<No, it could be redundant - but that's not always such a bad thing! If
the stock skimmer isn’t producing good skimmate (either in quality or
quantity) you could try running without.>
The water readings are:
calcium – 460
<Would let this fall a bit, to under 450. That is, assuming that the
numbers here are correct (the test kit’s reliable, not out of date). For
more information regarding calcium, please see this link (as well as
related links at the top): http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm>
pH - 8.4
nitrate – 0
phosphate - 0
alkalinity - (I use the Red Sea pH & Alk test kit and it doesn't give a
specific number for this. It has a color chart that shows my water is in
the "Normal Range - 1.7 - 2.8")
<Not good – you need specific numbers instead of a range. I personally
use/prefer Salifert for KH/alkalinity testing. It’s quick, easy to use,
and most importantly, has a distinct color change for better/more
reliable results.>
These are the only things that I am testing for, should I be testing for
more?
<Other than listing salinity/specific gravity, what you have sounds fine
to me. If you were having problems maintaining your calcium level, I’d
recommend a magnesium test kit, but that doesn’t seem to be necessary.
Just keep in mind that if you ever do consider adding supplements such
as iodine/iodide, magnesium, etc you’ll need to first acquire those
specific kits. It’s important to get a base-line reading as well as
monitor the levels as you increase them (not to mention making sure they
stay within recommended range thereafter.>
I am still new to this and am not too sure which elements I should be
testing for.
<You should be good to go. Just be sure to keep up with regular water
changes. These make a big difference in helping to maintain the extra
supplements I mentioned (and more).>
For inhabitants, I have:
1 Fire Angel
<I’m not familiar with this term. I’m guessing it’s a Flame Angel
(Centropyge loriculus)? If so, wow are they beautiful.>
1 Velvet Damsel
1 Three Stripe Damsel
<These damsels can become *very* aggressive, especially in small/crowded
systems such as this.>
1 Ocellaris Clown
<Would be nice to have a pair, but at this stocking point, I wouldn’t
add one.>
1 Scooter Blenny
2 Fire Shrimp
<These are truly beautiful shrimp, if a bit shy (especially in systems
with strong lighting.>
1 feather duster
<Can be difficult to keep.>
1 2" Tridacna crocea
<I would not have added this until the tank was 6-12 months old at the
very earliest.>
1 Turbo snail
<Terrific herbivore.>
5 Margarita snails
<Unfortunately, these are cooler water snails that don’t live long in
reef systems. The warmer water speeds up their metabolism. It’s a case
of “the candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long”.>
2 Cat Eye snails
<These, plus the Turbo listed above, have big appetites and will need a
lot of algae to survive. If there isn’t a sufficient amount existing in
the tank, they’ll starve to death. You may need to supplement with dried
seaweed/Nori sheets (available at most regular grocery stores and Asian
markets).>
10 or so hermits
<Hmmm, careful here. Hermits are neat, but many reef keepers (like me)
choose to avoid them. They tend to be opportunistic little fellows that
can cause trouble (picking at things, stealing food from corals, killing
small snails, even fellow hermits). This is especially true when they’re
in high numbers, as is the case here. It just makes for more competition
for food. Keeping them well fed, along with supplying plenty of (larger)
empty shells, will help deter (but not necessarily prevent) unwelcome
behavior.>
1 hammer coral
1 torch coral
1 small Acropora frag
1 plate coral
a tiny patch of green star polyps that never come out
<Watch out. If/when these do come out, they can spread and take over
like you wouldn’t believe. They’ll even climb up the sides of your
aquarium. It’s best to keep these separate and away from your main
rockwork so they can’t spread and cause problems.>
a small rocks with a few Zoanthids on it
2 red mushrooms
<'Shrooms can also take over too, so watch them.>
4 other bluish mushrooms that were given to me and I don't know the
names of.
<Yikes, this is an overcrowded tank, especially considering the fact
that it’s only 3 months old! I would have skipped the Damsels, the
Margarita snails, the two “Cat eye” snails, the feather duster, clam,
and at least 8 (or all) hermits. There’s also a potential for serious
trouble down the road with the various corals you’ve listed. In smallish
systems such as this, you should really limit the variety of species to
those that will get along best in the long run. Corals are like any
other animal in that they’ll fight to ensure their survival. They do
this in a variety of ways, including chemical warfare or “allelopathy”
(for example many soft corals/Gorgonians), direct contact with either
sweeper tentacles that sting (Euphyllids, like the hammer and torch
coral you have are particularly notorious for this) or mesenterial
filaments that digest the neighboring coral’s tissues, or by simply
overgrowing (for example: green star polyps). Be sure to keep enough
space between the corals you have and move/remove as necessary. I’d give
the torch and the hammer corals at least a 6" buffer zone all the way
around them, and keep an eye on those green star polyps and mushrooms.
Mushrooms (Actinodiscus), although seemingly harmless, can sting
adjacent, less aggressive corals.>
Each feeding, I soak the food in V3 Triple Strength. The food alternates
between flake, Cyclops-eeze pellets, krill, and mysis. For the corals,
clam and feather duster, I dose DT's live marine phytoplankton once
every other day, and dose Marine Snow once a week.
<I’m not personally crazy about this last product, but hey if it works
for you! Just be careful with these two additives and decrease if you
notice excessive algae production.>
Unfortunately, I bought basically every inhabitant in the tank before
learning the error of buying prior to research, and am trying to keep
them healthy and correct errors I have made.
<Good for you.>
Is my tank overcrowded?
<Oh yeah.>
When I bought all the equipment, sand, and rock, the LFS told me to
cycle it for a month, which I did. Other than that, they happily sold me
whatever I wanted and I admit that I lost a rose tip anemone and
Nudibranch that they sold me not long after I bought them.
<Oh no. What a shame.>
It wasn't until that point that I started doing research on the internet
about trying to keep the rest of the inhabitants alive. I didn't want to
lose any of the remaining inhabitants and felt like a real jerk for
losing what I did.
<Well, we've all made mistakes in this hobby. I know I've made my share
and then some! The important thing is that we learn from them. In your
case, it sounds like you just trusted people that were either lacking in
knowledgeable or that were more concerned with selling their livestock
(or both). The good news is that now you know better. You know to always
do your research *before* purchasing. That combined with quarantining
new livestock will save many lives and much frustration.>
That was when I stumbled across your guys' site and have learned TONS of
invaluable information.
<Excellent!>
That was less than a week ago, and it has already saved my Zoanthids
from Zoa-eating Nudi's. <Yikes!> I cannot thank you guys enough for your
wisdom!
<LOL While I would never doubt the wisdom of Bob or my fellow
crew-members, the closest I personally come to being wise is
wisecracking!>
My question: I have had a couple of these slugs running around the tank
and was not sure if it was harmful to a reef tank or my inhabitants.
<Nope, not at all. They’re absolutely harmless and beneficial.>
I was wondering if you guys could ID it for me.
<Yes we can. Oh, you want to know what it is! It’s a species of
Stomatella (possibly Stomatella varia), a commonly seen hitchhiker that
reproduces readily in tanks and is frequently seen grazing film algae.>
I tried to search through your guys' vast resources, but I could not
find what this slug is, or if it is harmful to my reef tank.
<No worries, it’s a good guy.>
I might have missed it though in the ID section, as I was trying to find
it during work hours, but I was hoping you could give me a hand.
<Sure thing. For more information on Stomatellid snails, please see the
following link:
http://bb.wetwebmedia.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=181
Be sure to also check out the many FAQ’s regarding these neat little
snails at WWM. Just go to our Google search engine, and enter the term
Stomatella:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm >
Thanks in advance, your site has really opened my eyes to aquariums and
I would have no doubt lost everything in a matter of time if I didn't
stumble across your Web site. Thanks again!
KC
<You’re very welcome! Take care, -Lynn>
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Cowry ID: Likely
Arabian Cowry – 8/16/08
Hey everyone,
<Hi Doran, Lynn here this afternoon.>
Love your site. I account for 5-10 hits nearly everyday.
<I’m glad you’re finding it useful!>
I did what you’re not supposed to do.
<Uh-oh>
I bought a snail without knowing for sure what it is.
<Say it isn’t so!>
It’s a Cowry, but I can't figure out what species.
<I think it’s most likely a variety of Arabian Cowry (genus
Mauritia), but it could also be something in the genus
Leporicypraea. Complicating matters is the degree to which these
Cowries can vary in appearance, along with the fact that we don’t
know where yours came from.
Please see the following links for comparison:
Arabian Cowry: http://www.gastropods.com/7/Shell_37.html
Asiatic Arabian Cowry: http://www.gastropods.com/5/Shell_1715.html
Giant Arabian Cowry: http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_560.html
Humped Cowry: http://www.gastropods.com/1/Shell_4361.html
Here's a terrific site showing photos for both genera (each photo is
a link):
http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/TN_Family_CYPRAEIDAE_CYPRAEINAE_MAURITIINI.html
>
Picture is attached, feel free to use it as you see fit.
<Thank you!>
Hopefully you can help, so I can figure out how to take care of it.
<Arabian Cowries (if that’s indeed what you have) are mostly
herbivorous but will take the occasional meaty fare. If the algae
supply starts to run low, you can try supplementing with something
like dried Seaweed/Nori sheets that are available at most fish
stores and Asian grocers/markets. I would also offer the occasional
meaty bit (of marine origin) as well.>
Thanks again,
Doran Figart
<You’re very welcome. That’s a pretty little Cowry you’ve got there.
Take care, -Lynn>
Re: Cowry ID:
Likely Arabian Cowry – 8/16/08
Oops, now it’s attached.
<Appreciate it!>
Doran
<Take care, -Lynn>
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Mollusk Identification -
Hipponicids 06/20/08
Hi all,
I'm hoping that somebody there can identify a strange hitchhiker on
the outside of one of my hermit crab's shells. I've attached a
picture.
<Cool pic... thanks>
For the first week I didn't really realise that there was a
hitchhiker there at all. There was an extra lump on the snail shell
that the crab
was using, but it was old, covered in coralline algae and seemed to
be embedded onto the snail shell. It's obviously been there for a
long
time.
<Indeed, I bet it was there when the snail, that's now a shell for
your hermit, was still alive.>
Yesterday evening, four of my crabs were feasting on an unfortunate
turbo snail and I (sorry, my girlfriend) noticed two pale coloured
antennae and a black "trunk" for want of a better word come
snuffling about from the edge of the extra lump on the snail shell.
The trunk has
a little mouth in the end of it. It's obviously some kind of mollusk
but I'd like to know more and I can't manage to ID it myself.
<It's very likely a Hipponicidae sp.-- a limpet-ish type creature.
They're not quite limpets, not quite snails... some people just call
them "Hippos." And it even looks like the Hippo on the crab shell
has a little (possibly juvenile) Hippo friend of its own (that can
happen too). These creatures also often start off in a more spiral
shape, then turn more slipper or cone shape as they grow... so
that's another clue. This is a nice page on them:
http://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Hipponicidae/Pages/Hipponicidae_intro.htm>
Interestingly, the hitchhiker has its own smaller hitchhiker too.
<Yep! That's not uncommon for these things.>
I've seen both snuffling about with their respective trunks at the
same time as the crab wandered about. The smaller one is not "out"
in the photo
though.
<They're pretty cool, huh? And no worries, in captivity, they're not
harmful to the crab. In the wild they can make their hosts more
vulnerable to predators and a little more clumsy getting around. But
in an aquarium, it shouldn't make much a difference. The only thing
I'd suggest is that if the crab falls, and doesn't seem to be able
to right itself, you might want to help it up. ;-) >
Thanks for your help. It's a great website.
Brian
<De nada,
Sara M.>
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Snail Infestation!! Help 6/16/08
Hi again,
<Hi Jarod>
55 gallon tank, water quality average or better, community fish, and many
leathers, a few SPS, and cleaning crew.
<Okay>
I travelled this past weekend and got back last night after the tank lights had
turned off. I checked to see if I had any floaters, and I noticed several little
white "things" on my rock. I turned the light on, and I had dozens of little
white snails on my rock and glass. They are the size a small pea, white roundish
shell with brown spots.
<I’d need a photo to confirm, but what you’re describing sounds a lot like
harmless/beneficial little Collonista snails. Please see this link for more
information and photos: http://bb.wetwebmedia.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=242 >
Not only that, there were large "slugs" or snails without shells on the glass,
at least 6 that I could see.
<Again, a photo would be great, but these could easily be a common, beneficial,
hitchhiking snail in the genus Stomatella (related to the ever popular Turbo and
Astraea snails). Although they do look very slug-like, they’re most definitely
snails, with disproportionately small, flattish shells that are very often
overlooked. Please see this link for more information/photos:
http://bb.wetwebmedia.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=181 >
These guys were the size of my Turbo snails.
<Stomatellids can get fairly large.>
I have never seen them before, obviously they are nocturnal,
<This is often the case with both of these snails. It helps them to avoid
daytime predators such as various fishes, etc.>
..but now I am concerned they are nuisance snails and I need to know what they
are and how to get rid of them. Should I just pluck the ones I see each night?
Should I be concerned that they will kill my coral?
<If they are what I think they are, you’re in good shape. These are both
beneficial and welcome hitchhikers that pose no threat to corals or other
livestock. Please check the links provided above for confirmation. If what you
have is something different, please let me know. Also, please see the links at
the bottom of both of those info sheets. You’ll find a link to WWM’s Google
search engine. Just enter the terms Collonista or Stomatella. You’ll find quite
a few FAQ’s related to these snails.>
Thanks for your help!
<You’re very welcome!>
Jared S
<Take care, -Lynn Z>
Re: Snail Infestation!! Help: Collonista
and likely Stomatellids – 6/16/08
Lynn,
<Hi Jarod!>
Thanks a lot for the links and the information.
<You’re very welcome.>
The little guys are definitely Collonista snails.
<Terrific!>
The others I need to confirm and I will try and get pictures of both.
<Sounds good.>
If these guys are all beneficial, then I can't wait to see them all come out and
roam now.
<LOL Yep, the terms “harmless” and “beneficial” are what you want to see when it
comes to hitchhikers. This is especially true when there are great numbers of
said hitchhikers!>
I had no idea that the night life in my tank was so fascinating and different
than daytime hours.
<Oh, are you in for a treat! I think you’ll be very surprised to see the number
and diversity of creatures that seem to come out of the “woodwork” after the
lights go out. I have no doubt that you’ll see all sorts of pods scurrying here
and there, possibly some peanut worms (Sipunculids), etc, etc. By the way, a
flashlight with a red lens cover goes a long way to improving visibility and not
shocking the inhabitants. I can tell you from experience that they do *not* like
it when you shine a white halogen flashlight in their tiny little eyes!>
Jared S
<Have fun! –Lynn>
Re: Snail infestation!! Help: Collonista
and Stomatella – 6/17/08
Lynn,
<Hi Jarod.>
Big body, little shell, the others are definitely Stomatellids.
<Excellent, those are terrific little snails to have around.>
I couldn't wait until the lights went out last night to see everything.
<It’s truly amazing, isn’t it?>
Of course I grabbed a flashlight and shined it in their little eyes, I will get
a red lens tonight.
<LOL They’ll very much appreciate that!>
I did see some pods scurrying about, AND a small brittle starfish. I have read
that starfish aren't reef safe,
<Some are most definitely not. Among the Brittlestars, the most notorious is the
Green brittlestar (Ophiarachna incrassata), aka “The Green Death”. These clever
stars like to suspend themselves in caves and drop down on unsuspecting fish at
night - yikes!>
..should I be worried about him? He was no bigger than a quarter.
<No worries. This is very likely a harmless/beneficial species of
mini-brittlestar (Ophiuroid). They range from about the size of a dime, up to
about a Kennedy half dollar and pose no threat to corals or other livestock.
These common little hitchhikers are detritivores/scavengers that like to hide
within/underneath the rockwork, many times extending an arm or two out into the
water column to catch food particles drifting by. Most range in color from all
white to a combination of shades of white and gray, often with bands of darker
gray on the arms. A plus with these guys is that given good conditions, they
reproduce readily and sustain a healthy population of clean-up crew specialists!
For more information and photos, please see these links:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestaridfaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm >
Thanks again,
<My pleasure!>
Jared S
<Take care, -Lynn>
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Pest or pleasant? Stomatellids - 6/13/08
Hello experts
<I'm as much an 'expert' here as I am a Tang! But happy to help...>
In our 550L Reef tank we have discovered this creature: is it a friendly
Chiton or a snail pest?
<Neither! This is a stomatellid snail. These little chaps are tremendous
algae eaters, besides being fun to watch. They'll grow and reproduce in
your aquarium as well, provided conditions remain favorable.>
It's body is much bigger than is small, rather flat shell. OR. Am I
looking two different animals??
<Nope, just one. Enjoy!>
Kind regards
<The same!>
Clive Rabson
<Benjamin> |
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Worm living in clam... Vermetid
living on Tridacnid 5/4/08
Hey guys,
<Tom>
First, i
<... I>
just wanted to say i love this website. I use it to research everything
i see going on in my tank. It's always been extremely helpful.
Unfortunately, i couldn't find the answer to this and am hoping someone
can help.
<I'll try>
I just purchased what i was told to be a Tridacna Clam a few hours ago.
<Is>
When i got it home, about an hour after i placed the clam in my tank, I
noticed a worm coming out of the clam.
<I see... a Vermetid snail on the outside... end of the shell... is this
what you're referring to?>
I read that there are worms that can burrow it's way in, but the reason
i thought this is a different situation is that it looks as if the hole
that it enters is actually a hole that is part of the clam. It's as if
it's hole is a tunnel, and you can see it running down the clam. In the
picture, all you can see is the top of it's head and antennae,
everything below is actually part of the clam, not the worm.
Can someone help? Is this normal, is it a clam that should quickly be
quarantined and then returned to the LFS?
Thank you so much for your help!!!
Tom.
<Is a tubiculous snail... not to worry... not destructive,
deleterious... And even very interesting... See the family name on the
Net, WWM... Bob Fenner> |
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Black and yellow snail ID: Engina
(Pusiostoma) sp. - 5/2/08
Hi,
<Hi Johan>
Thanks for a very good web site!
<Thank you!>
I am wondering if you could help me ID this little snail (image
attached)?
<It certainly is a pretty little snail.>
The snail is approximately 1 cm in length and has a yellow base colour
with black bands. I tried to find something similar on the snail ID
pages but failed.
<It looks like one of several different species in the genus Engina,
also referred to as “Engina (Pusiostoma)” or just Pusiostoma in some
literature. They’re in the family Buccinidae (Whelks), otherwise known
as Bumble Bee snails. These snails are sometimes listed as omnivores,
but they’re actually predatory carnivores that eat worms, sandbed fauna,
sessile organisms and the occasional snail. They don’t eat algae.>
It's in QT for the moment, do you think it is reef safe?
<If you're asking whether it's safe around corals, likely so. Although
I’ve heard reports that Bumble Bee snails sometimes eat Zoanthids/other
polyps, those reports have only been through second-hand
information/rumors. I’ve never seen, or been able to confirm their
validity. The good news is that these snails generally stay fairly small
so if you have a large, mature system, one individual shouldn’t make too
much of a dent in the fauna (but I'd keep an eye on things anyway). If
however, it *is* a new system, or a small one, I’d definitely find the
snail another home - not within a refugium though! Please see the
following link for photos of various snail species within the genus
Engina (each photo is a link to more information and usually more
photos). Just bear in mind that these snails can vary quite a bit within
the same species, not just in color, but also in shape. It certainly
makes for a bit of a challenge! I’m hoping that since you have the snail
in a QT, you might be able to see structures on the shell a little
better than I can and that they will help you to confirm an ID.
http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/TN_Family_BUCCINIDAE_PISANIINAE.html
>
Thanks,
Johan Andersson
(Sorry, forgot to attach the image the first time...)
<No problem. Thanks for sending it along! Good luck with your little
snail. Take care, -Lynn>
Re: Black and yellow snail ID:
Engina (Pusiostoma) sp. - 5/2/08
Thanks a lot!
<You’re very welcome!>
It sure looks like the Engina histrio.
<I think so too.>
I have to get a camera with better macro, it sure is difficult to get
good pictures of these little critters...
<It can be a real headache but you did a good job with that little
snail!>
Johan Andersson
<Take care, -Lynn> |
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Mystery Snails/Slugs? Stomatella
sp. 4/19/08
Hi,
<Hi Sharon!>
I have found your forums really useful in the first few months of
setting up my first marine aquarium, thank you.
<It's our pleasure, and by the way, welcome to the world of marine
aquaria!>
I wonder if you would be able to tell me what species (I think a slug or
snail) are in the 2 enclosed photos please and are they one and the
same?
<Yes, they are. They’re both a common, harmless, herbivorous species in
the genus Stomatella. It looks like the individual in the second photo
either has the posterior end up its foot draw up, or has lost/dropped
it. They do this as a method of escaping predation much like lizards
detaching a portion of their tail (will regenerate). Please see this
link for more information, photos, and links:
http://bb.wetwebmedia.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=181>
We find something new in our tank every day, it's so interesting.
<Yes indeed, and it only gets more so with the passing of time!>
This morning was our day to find an Asterina star feeding on our glass.
<Yay!>
Thank you,
Sharon
<You're most welcome. Enjoy your new additions! -Lynn> |
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