Mutated snail??????

[britnicole1724]

Video says it all.

Okay. Let me first start off by saying; this is my first reef tank so maybe this is more common than not.
I was sitting at my tank tonight just watching everything. This snail has been with us for quite some time now and has always had this weird extra shell on it, as seen in the photo on the right side.

I don’t know what intrigued me tonight but I turned my flashlight on to look at it more and IT MOVED. It almost looked like a clam closing shut however its a freaking snail?? What is this?? I’m not worried per say as everything in our tank seems to be doing well. You can see the gap in the second photo where it looks like a clam??? Is this something I should be worried about? We named the snail dyson. He’s huge and is a vacuum for diatoms, kind of have attachment to him and don’t want to lose him.

 

[Lyss]

Hard to tell for sure in the pics, and I can’t see the video on my phone, but prob a clam. I have a trochus with multiple on his shell that are alive, and he’s just fine. Shine a flashlight on it when it’s open and you’ll see it close up in reaction to the light — I do that periodically to see if they’re still alive.

 

[britnicole1724]

Hard to tell for sure in the pics, and I can’t see the video on my phone, but prob a clam. I have a trochus with multiple on his shell that are alive, and he’s just fine. Shine a flashlight on it when it’s open and you’ll see it close up in reaction to the light — I do that periodically to see if they’re still alive.

I am guessing that’s what it is. Didn’t know that could happen! It’s neat haha

 

[davidcalgary29]

It could easily be a mussel. They often do hitchhike in on rocks.

 

[Spare time]

It could easily be a mussel. They often do hitchhike in on rocks.

Yeah looks like a mussel. I usually remove them since they can grow in a way tha makes it hard to the snail to hold on to things

 

[Lyss]

Mine actually look like scallops. They are farther back on the snail’s shell and haven’t been an issue, but they’re super interesting to watch.

I can’t tell in the OP photos but thought I saw some ridges along the shell opening?

 

[britnicole1724]

Mine actually look like scallops. They are farther back on the snail’s shell and haven’t been an issue, but they’re super interesting to watch.

I can’t tell in the OP photos but thought I saw some ridges along the shell opening?

There are ridges. I’m thinking maybe a clam.