Limpets

[Rollermonkey]

So two limpets were in my shipment from Reef Cleaners.

 

One started moving after a few hours. I haven't seen it again since the first day. The other took almost 24 hours to start moving, and I have found it upside down at least once or twice daily before I flip it over again. (The sizes were significantly different that I can tell them apart.)

 

Is this normal behavior for limpets, or will I be removing some dead mollusks soon?

[RayWhisperer]

Sounds like you'll have some dead limpets soon. It's been my experience they don't do really well unless in a mature system. Not to worry, if you have hermit crabs, they'll happily clean them up for you.

[patback]

+1 with ray, sounds like the one might die. However, I had hitchhiker limpets that survived a cycle. IMO they are pretty damn hardy. Others have told me that they need to be purchased, and won't reproduce in a tank. I beg to differ on that note also. I have the scientifically-correct term of a "buttload".

[RayWhisperer]

Depends on the species, IME. Every limpet I've ever purchased either died outright, or never reproduced. However, I've had several tanks where 3 to 6 months after the cycle, they just start to appear and reproduce to massive numbers.

[Rollermonkey]

Well, I've turned the idiot right-side-up for the tenth time in six days. That's it. I'm done. If it dies, the hermits can have at it.

 

Still haven't seen the one that woke up first since it started moving.

[Rollermonkey]

...and in a strange update, the one I left upside down for a week has vanished, shell and all and the one that had been missing for two weeks appeared at the very top of my scape.

[knives2886]

i have oodles of these things if you want some i can hunt them down in my sump. they love to hang out on the walls in the sump for some reason..

[Katara]

I started out with two & now have well over 10. My tank has been set up for over 4 years.

I don't have any crabs or predators, so that could be be a factor in their survival.