What in the name of Neptune is this ??????????

sandry75 · 02/06/2007, 09:05 PM

This thing appeared overnight in the back of my small reef tank! I have no idea what it is or where it came from. I have recently (last month or so) started to see some lumps of hardened sand here and there in the tank but this is nuts!!!

I have a large snail (forgot the name now) that I was told would spend most of its time under the sand bed and would be good for mixing it up. I rarely see it...ocassionally it will surface and slither around a little leaving some slimely residue and then submerge again....I think it may be involved.

Any ideas????

SDguy · 02/06/2007, 09:07 PM

LOL, it looks like it has FNPT on the inside

miracles38 · 02/06/2007, 11:44 PM

Bizarre!

godlyme · 02/07/2007, 01:29 AM

its an egg casing ...most likely from your snail... if you do a search you might be able to find the exact name of the snail and what their eggs look like...some snails have very very bizarre eggs and casing

greenbean36191 · 02/07/2007, 08:41 AM

I answered this already in another forum, but for anyone that's following here, it's a sand collar. Like godlyme said, it's the egg casing of a naticid or moon snail.

sandry75 · 02/09/2007, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the info greenbean,
I did a little research on the moon snails! Pretty interesting. I'm probably going to remove the nest this weekend though - don't think I need thousands of eggs hatching 6-months from now

))

Thanks again,
Sandry75

ralphie16 · 02/09/2007, 02:27 PM

hard to make out from teh pictures....how big is it?

sandry75 · 02/09/2007, 07:45 PM

Hey Ralphie,

It's about 4 inches across and two inches tall. I'm going to take it out this weekend. Maybe I'll take some more pics of it and post them just for everyones information.

Sandry75

Wrench · 02/09/2007, 08:53 PM

man, if that were in my tank, i'd set up a smaller tank to house it and see what hatches out! I wouldn't want the little critters in my display tank but I think it would be neat to see what happens.

sandry75 · 02/09/2007, 09:56 PM

Yeah Wrench,

I have to say I'm tempted! My kids think its really cool also. It might be cool to let things develop. I could stick it in my Q-tank for a while I guess?
We'll see.

petoonia · 02/09/2007, 10:56 PM

Looks like a little UFO!

Sorry I couldnt resist.

Post pics if you do hang on to it, Im curious to see what happens as well.

greenbean36191 · 02/10/2007, 06:27 PM

After it hatches, that should be the end of it. The larvae are planktonic for a few days and need lots of phytoplankton during that time. They won't make it in a reef tank, and even in a seperate tank it's unlikely.

02/06/2007, 09:05 PM	#1
sandry75 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hopatcong, New Jersey Posts: 107	What in the name of Neptune is this ?????????? This thing appeared overnight in the back of my small reef tank! I have no idea what it is or where it came from. I have recently (last month or so) started to see some lumps of hardened sand here and there in the tank but this is nuts!!! I have a large snail (forgot the name now) that I was told would spend most of its time under the sand bed and would be good for mixing it up. I rarely see it...ocassionally it will surface and slither around a little leaving some slimely residue and then submerge again....I think it may be involved. Any ideas???? __________________ All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific! Current Tank Info: 26gal Reef / 80Gal Reef / 30 Gal FOWLR

02/06/2007, 09:07 PM	#2
SDguy Fish heads unite! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 23,384	LOL, it looks like it has FNPT on the inside __________________ Peter SDMAS member Marine tanks since 1989. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º> Current Tank Info: 240g butterfly and angel FOWLR. 15g QT.

02/06/2007, 11:44 PM	#3
miracles38 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,008	Bizarre! __________________ Kim Current Tank Info: 180 reef

02/07/2007, 01:29 AM	#4
godlyme Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: ny long island Posts: 618	its an egg casing ...most likely from your snail... if you do a search you might be able to find the exact name of the snail and what their eggs look like...some snails have very very bizarre eggs and casing __________________ 75 gal reef tank....... also working on figuring out how to build my 500 gal in wall, and converting garage into big fish room

02/07/2007, 08:41 AM	#5
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	I answered this already in another forum, but for anyone that's following here, it's a sand collar. Like godlyme said, it's the egg casing of a naticid or moon snail. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

02/09/2007, 02:05 PM	#6
sandry75 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hopatcong, New Jersey Posts: 107	Thanks for the info greenbean, I did a little research on the moon snails! Pretty interesting. I'm probably going to remove the nest this weekend though - don't think I need thousands of eggs hatching 6-months from now )) Thanks again, Sandry75 __________________ All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific! Current Tank Info: 26gal Reef / 80Gal Reef / 30 Gal FOWLR

02/09/2007, 02:27 PM	#7
ralphie16 Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,550	hard to make out from teh pictures....how big is it?

02/09/2007, 07:45 PM	#8
sandry75 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hopatcong, New Jersey Posts: 107	Hey Ralphie, It's about 4 inches across and two inches tall. I'm going to take it out this weekend. Maybe I'll take some more pics of it and post them just for everyones information. Sandry75 __________________ All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific! Current Tank Info: 26gal Reef / 80Gal Reef / 30 Gal FOWLR

02/09/2007, 08:53 PM	#9
Wrench Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,004	man, if that were in my tank, i'd set up a smaller tank to house it and see what hatches out! I wouldn't want the little critters in my display tank but I think it would be neat to see what happens.

02/09/2007, 09:56 PM	#10
sandry75 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hopatcong, New Jersey Posts: 107	Yeah Wrench, I have to say I'm tempted! My kids think its really cool also. It might be cool to let things develop. I could stick it in my Q-tank for a while I guess? We'll see. __________________ All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific! Current Tank Info: 26gal Reef / 80Gal Reef / 30 Gal FOWLR

02/09/2007, 10:56 PM	#11
petoonia HereWeGoAgain... Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,648	Looks like a little UFO! Sorry I couldnt resist. Post pics if you do hang on to it, Im curious to see what happens as well. __________________ I've been in the hobby for about 10 years....(so I know a little bit)...(but not all that much).... Current Tank Info: 58G. Oceanic (Starphire). Mixed Reef

02/10/2007, 06:27 PM	#12
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	After it hatches, that should be the end of it. The larvae are planktonic for a few days and need lots of phytoplankton during that time. They won't make it in a reef tank, and even in a seperate tank it's unlikely. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up