Truly impressed with these little guys

[Cjud7982]

So I have been in the hobby for a handful of years and I am not the most experienced or biggest spender in the hobby. But not to sound lame, I guess is the right word, but really there has been only a few things that I have experienced that has suprised me and really made my jaw drop. Of course I love this hobby and admire everything about it, but I am talking the wow factor, the "that's crazy" feeling.
Some of the things that gave me this feeling are, led and t5 light combos, the varios 8 pump, slower flow in the sump, the beauty of fully extended lps corals, the amount of cleaning a pencil urchin does, just to name a few. But what has impressed me the most is something I never added nor even knew of.
Out of no where one day I saw a tiny little snail in my display. Thought it was cool, and moved on. Fast forward to now. These things are all over my sump, display glass, and power heads. Now I will let you know, my jaw has dropped because of these things.

Here's why.

I have been having an on going problem with bubble algea growing in my sump because of my lighting for my cheato and some of it works it's way to my display. Some brown slime algea in my internal and external over flow boxes and just general uglies that I have been struggling for 6 months with. These things have been going to town on my sump uglies! In the last week the one chamber of my sump had been prestinley cleaned by these things, where as before you couldn't even see into it. They have moved on to the chambers where my chaeto, bubble trap, and return section all the while making it spotless. Better than what I could ever do by draining it, scraping it or whatever I could do. They are cleaning up my near impossible to reach areas of my tank, and my overflow boxes. This is crazy!!! Idk if they will all die once it's all cleaned but I hope not. They put all of my other clean up crew to shame! And they are a quarter of the size of a pencil eraser.

I was told they are limpets, however I cannot confirm nor deny it. I just thought I would share this because I was and am currently being blown away by these things. Best thing I've seen so far in this hobby. Again as lame as that sounds haha. I've attached a pretty bad picture of my deep sand bed chamber that the glass is immaculate.

 

[SaltDoc]

That’s an awesome find in a tank! Send some my way!

 

[Cjud7982]

That’s an awesome find in a tank! Send some my way!

Ha, if I was good enough and knew enough about them i would breed them and start giving them away lol

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

https://www.liveaquaria.com/article/122/?aid=122

Limpets
Several different genus and many species make up the snail-like invertebrate family, commonly known as limpets. Limpets have an oval, laterally compressed shell that tapers to an off-centered blunt point. Limpets have a tiny hole at the crest of their shell where it becomes a point, which they use for waste and water exchange. Many of these species have a very large mantle that extends around and covers the shell. In fact, some limpets can be very beautiful with amazing colors, and make a welcome guest in an aquarium that does not contain SPS corals.

The most common variety encountered in a reef aquarium is the Keyhole Limpet. They are a common import with live rock, and are typically colored in a mottled brown, black and tan pattern, and do not have a mantle that covers their shell. The Keyhole Limpets are typically half an inch long, or smaller, and feed on unwanted filamentous algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms and even hydroids. Unfortunately, in the SPS aquarium, they will also feed on the tissue of SPS corals.

As with many of the snail species, it is best to physically remove the limpet if you are unsure of its species and diet. Some limpet species are herbivores and are beneficial to even a reef aquarium. But even the herbivores can become harmful if there is not enough food for them in the aquarium. Limpets will typically not reproduce to any significant number in the aquarium, and physical removal is usually a sufficient control for the SPS coral aquarist.