Black elephant snail?

teo241 · 12/29/2012, 04:27 PM

Saw this wandering the live rock today, first time it has appeared. Agree it is a black elephant snail? Google search says reefsafe algae eater.

EricShane · 12/29/2012, 04:50 PM

cLooks like a nudi of some sort.. Try to find it on nudi pixel or contact LeslieH on here shes,a g ewe nious.. Either way, next time you see it catch it until you find out if its good or bad

capt85 · 12/29/2012, 04:54 PM

Looks cool. But if it has a name like "Black elephant" ANYTHING I wouldn't like it.

Anemone · 12/29/2012, 05:46 PM

Possibly a limpet. Some are benign, some aren't (ie, some munch on corals).

Kevin

teo241 · 12/29/2012, 06:41 PM

Kevin, I think you are right, it is a limpet. It looks exactly like this animal pictured on this other site:

http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/scutus

ingtar_shinowa · 12/29/2012, 10:35 PM

Hey Teo, check out black stomatella snail as well.

Sugar Magnolia · 12/30/2012, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teo241

Kevin, I think you are right, it is a limpet. It looks exactly like this animal pictured on this other site:

http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/scutus

Yes, what you have is a scutus. Harmless.

chuckbuc · 12/30/2012, 09:18 AM

I have hundreds of them also in my system they are limpets .grest cleaners I did notice though ehen they are close to bitdnest or stylo there slime will kill them at first I thought they were esting them but afyet looking further they werent they were just grazing by the base .

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

psteeleb · 12/30/2012, 10:55 AM

in my system when they get larger, ~2", they start to much on corals. not sure if it's due to lack of enough algea source or if their diet changes but I have plenty of video and picture evidence of them munching on corals

munching on sps

munching on xenia

barjam · 12/30/2012, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckbuc

I have hundreds of them also in my system they are limpets .grest cleaners I did notice though ehen they are close to bitdnest or stylo there slime will kill them at first I thought they were esting them but afyet looking further they werent they were just grazing by the base .

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

They eventually worked their way higher up the base on my stylo/birdsnest and got rid of them.

jskeen · 05/20/2015, 07:23 AM

Anybody have an update on the subject of these? Are they really eating live coral polyps, or just grazing near them? Pest or clean up crew member? I started out with about 4 hitch-hikers in my 55 (supposed to be) FOWLR, and just had a hatch last month, up to about a dozen babies although could be that many more hiding. They do a bang up job cleaning algae off the rocks, and I've never seen them bothering the xenia or mushrooms that sorta appeared in my fish only tank somehow :-) Do they ever show up for sale anywhere?
Thanks,
James

SNAKEMANVET · 05/20/2015, 12:45 PM

Wonder if these guys would eat bubble algae,I have never seen them for sale at my lfs.

12/29/2012, 05:46 PM	#4
Anemone Cloning Around Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Valencia, California Posts: 25,267	Possibly a limpet. Some are benign, some aren't (ie, some munch on corals). Kevin __________________ Back in the pool, swimming with the sharks... Current Tank Info: Red Sea 425XL w/Kessil AP700, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 x Vortech MP40s

12/29/2012, 06:41 PM	#5
teo241 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: wisconsin Posts: 339	Kevin, I think you are right, it is a limpet. It looks exactly like this animal pictured on this other site: http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/scutus __________________ 360, 75, 45

12/30/2012, 10:55 AM	#9
psteeleb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 5,249	in my system when they get larger, ~2", they start to much on corals. not sure if it's due to lack of enough algea source or if their diet changes but I have plenty of video and picture evidence of them munching on corals munching on sps munching on xenia __________________ A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner Current Tank Info: 110g Mixed Reef, LED's & T5's

12/29/2012, 04:50 PM	#2
EricShane Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 136	cLooks like a nudi of some sort.. Try to find it on nudi pixel or contact LeslieH on here shes,a g ewe nious.. Either way, next time you see it catch it until you find out if its good or bad

12/29/2012, 04:54 PM	#3
capt85 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: SW MO Posts: 292	Looks cool. But if it has a name like "Black elephant" ANYTHING I wouldn't like it.

12/29/2012, 10:35 PM	#6
ingtar_shinowa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Billings MT Posts: 1,610	Hey Teo, check out black stomatella snail as well.

12/30/2012, 09:18 AM	#8
chuckbuc Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: lindenhurst ,ny Posts: 1,154	I have hundreds of them also in my system they are limpets .grest cleaners I did notice though ehen they are close to bitdnest or stylo there slime will kill them at first I thought they were esting them but afyet looking further they werent they were just grazing by the base . Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

05/20/2015, 07:23 AM	#11
jskeen Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 4	Anybody have an update on the subject of these? Are they really eating live coral polyps, or just grazing near them? Pest or clean up crew member? I started out with about 4 hitch-hikers in my 55 (supposed to be) FOWLR, and just had a hatch last month, up to about a dozen babies although could be that many more hiding. They do a bang up job cleaning algae off the rocks, and I've never seen them bothering the xenia or mushrooms that sorta appeared in my fish only tank somehow :-) Do they ever show up for sale anywhere? Thanks, James

05/20/2015, 12:45 PM	#12
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	Wonder if these guys would eat bubble algae,I have never seen them for sale at my lfs.