Why does my snail look like it has a dandelion riding it?

[Freelamp944]

I noticed a snail this morning that has small thin piece of algea with fuzzy top growing on its shell. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the top half is green and the bottom is white. The tip also looks a little fuzzier in the picture than it does in person. It also seems fairly stiff. It barely moves even in the higher flow areas of my tank. I haven't noticed it growing anywhere else in the tank. Any idea what this could be?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Looks kind of like the beginning of an Acetabularia (macroalgae) stalk. It could also be Cymopolia. Both are macroalgaes that are fairly easy to handle

 

[Freelamp944]

After looking at some pictures, I think you're right about Acetabularia. I've seen some people really like it and others have trouble with it overrunning their tank. If I move that snail to the fuge, would the algea stay and reproduce there or would it still spread to the display? Better yet, is it possible to transplant it from the snail to the fuge, so I don't have a snail wandering around my sump? Either way, its a lot prettier than the GHA and cyano I have going on right now!

 

[ichthyogeek]

I’m not sure. When I had it, it only grew seasonally on a snail shell, and didn’t really spread.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I personally take the snail out and scrape it off into the toilet

 

[F i s h y]

I personally take the snail out and scrape it off into the toilet

if the worry is overrunning the tank id take it off too. Happy reefing!