Are these snail eggs?

PghReef · Mar 9, 2022

Took my vortechs out for cleaning today and noticed these hard clean bubble like clusters. Each has a bunch of small white things that looks like grains if sand.

This just a snail like my strombus or are they some other pest?

shakacuz · Mar 9, 2022

what fish/inverts do you have in the tank? never seen eggs like this.

Sharkbait19 · Mar 9, 2022

How big are they? They do look similar to pond snail eggs (but obviously from a salt snail) assuming they are only a couple millimeters big.

PghReef · Mar 9, 2022

Sharkbait19 said:
How big are they? They do look similar to pond snail eggs (but obviously from a salt snail) assuming they are only a couple millimeters big.

That's an mp40 for size reference. The white eggs inside are like the size of my pink fiji sand.

SlugSnorter · Mar 9, 2022

nerite eggs maybe?

PghReef · Mar 9, 2022

shakacuz said:
what fish/inverts do you have in the tank? never seen eggs like this.

Fish I have 2 clowns, a potters angel, Melanarus Wrasse, tomini Tang, and blue hippo..

Inverts I have micro stars, black brittle stars, zebra turbos, Astra snails, teochus snails, cherish snails, strombus snails, and I believe some emerald crabs and porcelain crabs I've found that hitchhiked in.

They're on the inside of the cage so whatever laid them either is small enough to get in there or the eggs free float and attach.

shakacuz · Mar 9, 2022

PghReef said:
They're on the inside of the cage so whatever laid them either is small enough to get in there or the eggs free float and attach.

definitely eggs of an invert. not sure which.

WheatToast · Mar 9, 2022

PghReef said:
...strombus snails...

Pictures?

SlugSnorter · Mar 9, 2022

shakacuz said:
definitely eggs of an invert. not sure which.

crow eggs obvsiculy!!1! I am a certified crow eggologist, I can tell a crow egg when I see one

rmorris_14 · Mar 9, 2022

After googling all the images of snail eggs from what you listed (never thought that is something I would be saying- HA) my vote is also the Strombus

PghReef · Mar 9, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
After googling all the images of snail eggs from what you listed (never thought that is something I would be saying- HA) my vote is also the Strombus

That was my thought, they're small enough to get in there and I have seen babies. I got them from IPSF and everyone says they breed so readily.

WheatToast · Mar 10, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
After googling all the images of snail eggs from what you listed (never thought that is something I would be saying- HA) my vote is also the Strombus

PghReef said:
That was my thought, they're small enough to get in there and I have seen babies. I got them from IPSF and everyone says they breed so readily.

I am not so sure they are Strombus eggs; these are supposed to be laid in tubular chains:

Minden Pictures - Florida fighting conch (Strombus alatus) pair laying a large egg mass on the sand, Gulf Stream, West Atlantic Ocean, Florida, USA - Alex Mustard/ npl

On the other hand, Dove snails (Columbellidae), lay circular eggs like those shown below; Dove snails are often misidentified as Strombus maculatus in the hobby:

Dove snails:

PghReef · Mar 10, 2022

WheatToast said:
I am not so sure they are Strombus eggs; these are supposed to be laid in tubular chains:

On the other hand, Dove snails (Columbellidae), lay circular eggs like those shown below; Dove snails are often misidentified as Strombus maculatus in the hobby:

Dove snails:

I have a few that look like the top image. Depends where they're from, mine came from IPSF in Hawaii.