Snail Identification

[Cyrra]

Hubby started a brand new 32 gallon BioCube about 3 weeks ago. Started off with live rock and live sand and a rotting shrimp to start cycling. Last week we found this little guy just hanging out. We can only assume he hitched a ride on either the rock or the sand as we haven't introduced any creatures. Can anyone identify him?

Yesterday we noticed 5 more microscopic versions of him as well. Will this guy reproduce on his own? He's growing like a weed.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I think we’ll need a better picture.

 

[Cyrra]

Okies, will wait til hes a bit bigger and repost. Hes only about 1/4 inch in diameter so we had to zoom in quite a bit. Once hes bigger and I can get a clearer shot, I will repost. Thanks!!!

 

[mtfish]

Looks like a small Astrea snail. Does it move around?

 

[Cyrra]

He moves a quite a bit. Little dude covers a lot of ground in a given day.

 

[Cyrra]

This dude, whom I've dubbed Elvis, is quite active. Hubby did another dead shrimp cycle late last week and now I swear I've counted 18 more of these little guys. Will an astral snail reproduce on their own?

 

[reef lover]

Doesnt look like an astrea maybe a collinista .

 

[Cyrra]

Thanks guys! I will keep posting updates as the little dude continues to get bigger. I've now counted over 40 of them little buggers. At first we only ever saw them on the glass, but last night I found them all over the live rock.

 

[Cyrra]

So since Feb. 25, I quit counting at 50 of the snails. They come in all shades of brown to almost black. The aquarium looks like it has chicken pox as the glass is littered with them. The sand and live rock also covered. I'm not one for killing creatures but I'm not sure there is another solution to this?!?!

 

[reef lover]

Theyre good little cleaners...maybe a fellow reefer would like some.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Get something that will eat them..... circle of life and what-not

 

[Cyrra]

Finally fished one out so I could attempt a better pic. Severely zoomed in as you can tell by the pen tip used for reference. These things keep reproducing like rabbits.