WHAT IS THIS THING?????

calreefer7 · Nov 20, 2020

This came on a coral I just bought, it looks like it was eating it. It can retract skin with spikes when threatened, revealing it's actual shell, it pulls the spiked skin inside it's shell

Soren · Nov 20, 2020

It looks like some kind of cowrie snail or bubble snail, but I cannot identify which type.
...maybe an allied cowrie snail (Diminovula punctata)?
...or ridged egg cowrie snail (Diminovula culmen)?

JGT · Nov 20, 2020

calreefer7 said:
This came on a coral I just bought, it looks like it was eating it. It can retract skin with spikes when threatened, revealing it's actual shell, it pulls the spiked skin inside it's shell

Thinking tiger cowrie.

gentlefish · Nov 20, 2020

+1 Cowrie. Nice freebie. Cost me 9$.

Soren · Nov 20, 2020

JGT said:
Thinking tiger cowrie.

Agreed as possibility, but the tiger cowries seem more spotted with brown and black to me than having the random red honeycomb pattern on a white background.

JGT · Nov 20, 2020

Soren said:
Agreed as possibility, but the tiger cowries seem more spotted with brown and black to me than having the random red honeycomb pattern on a white background.

Yeah, def cowrie, species not sure but small are OK, bigger ones have been known to eat nems and softies so keep at your own peril.

calreefer7 · Nov 20, 2020

gentlefish said:
+1 Cowrie. Nice freebie. Cost me 9$.

Why would one buy a cowrie, are they good cuc

JGT · Nov 20, 2020

calreefer7 said:
Why would one buy a cowrie, are they good cuc

Really shouldn’t, not meant for a reef tank. Fish only it’s fine.

calreefer7 · Nov 20, 2020

JGT said:
Really shouldn’t, not meant for a reef tank. Fish only it’s fine.

So i should get rid of him?

Maybe keep him around a day or so and if I find him on a coral he goes...

JGT · Nov 20, 2020

calreefer7 said:
So i should get rid of him?

Maybe keep him around a day or so and if I find him on a coral he goes...

Since you found him eating your coral chances are pretty good he may go back for a midnight snack. I’d put him in your sump, will scavenge there without bothering corals.

calreefer7 · Nov 20, 2020

JGT said:
Since you found him eating your coral chances are pretty good he may go back for a midnight snack. I’d put him in your sump, will scavenge there without bothering corals.

Aight