what is this?

demonboy369 · 04/30/2009, 01:16 AM

what is this thing? i found it in my sand bed im thinking it came from some sand i had gotten to seed my sand, it came from a 10year+ tank. I found it laying in a spot it wasnt yesterday and after taking the pics and putting it back where it was it has dissappeared again without me noticing. I am completely stumped on this and need some help...

It is smooth on the bottom and the top is greenish colored and has some small spines on it. They didnt poke me or sting me and i never "saw" it move. It feels like a snail shell but there is no opening.
Click the thumbnails and someone please advise me what i have here. Kinda cool looking.

Whys · 04/30/2009, 01:56 AM

It's a foraminiferan.

VacavilleFC3S · 04/30/2009, 02:10 AM

it's part of a dead snail, the type that have the little hinged door and the ability to seal themselves up. like a turbo snail or similar.

Whys · 04/30/2009, 02:22 AM

It's a foraminiferan, it is not a snail, and it is alive. They are one of the odder things you can find on liverock. Look'em up.

macchicks · 04/30/2009, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by VacavilleFC3S
it's part of a dead snail, the type that have the little hinged door and the ability to seal themselves up. like a turbo snail or similar.

+1 it looks like what I had when my turbo died. Its the "lid" to the snell shell.

I dont think the other things have the swirled pattern.

Sugar Magnolia · 04/30/2009, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by VacavilleFC3S
it's part of a dead snail, the type that have the little hinged door and the ability to seal themselves up. like a turbo snail or similar.

Correct! It's called the operculum. Operculum is Latin for "little lid".

demonboy369 · 04/30/2009, 10:36 AM

ok thanks guys i appreciate it

Whys · 04/30/2009, 10:02 PM

Well I'm not one to disagree with Sugar, so I guess I'm wrong, but it still looks a lot like this guy to me. I guess the swirl is a bit different.

04/30/2009, 01:16 AM	#1
demonboy369 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: west virginia Posts: 360	what is this? what is this thing? i found it in my sand bed im thinking it came from some sand i had gotten to seed my sand, it came from a 10year+ tank. I found it laying in a spot it wasnt yesterday and after taking the pics and putting it back where it was it has dissappeared again without me noticing. I am completely stumped on this and need some help... It is smooth on the bottom and the top is greenish colored and has some small spines on it. They didnt poke me or sting me and i never "saw" it move. It feels like a snail shell but there is no opening. Click the thumbnails and someone please advise me what i have here. Kinda cool looking.

04/30/2009, 10:36 AM	#7
demonboy369 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: west virginia Posts: 360	ok thanks guys i appreciate it __________________ L0S3R CVRC ------------------------------------------------ To check out my thread on Gorgonia Fragging click my red house Current Tank Info: 2g pico reef with 13w pc lighting stocked with zoos and a small hammer... 29g in progress (diy aquaclear 500 fuge)

04/30/2009, 01:56 AM	#2
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	It's a foraminiferan.

04/30/2009, 02:10 AM	#3
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	it's part of a dead snail, the type that have the little hinged door and the ability to seal themselves up. like a turbo snail or similar.

04/30/2009, 02:22 AM	#4
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	It's a foraminiferan, it is not a snail, and it is alive. They are one of the odder things you can find on liverock. Look'em up.

04/30/2009, 10:02 PM	#8
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Well I'm not one to disagree with Sugar, so I guess I'm wrong, but it still looks a lot like this guy to me. I guess the swirl is a bit different.