What is growing on my snail??

[BubbleTrouble]

Looks like fuzzy fungus of some sort? It has been there for a while now, he still moves around and eats

[ml86743]

Looks like some type of colonial hydroid maybe? I’ve had a different species grow on my snails from time to time.   Do you see anything similar on your rockwork?

[BubbleTrouble]

13 hours ago, ml86743 said:

Looks like some type of colonial hydroid maybe? I’ve had a different species grow on my snails from time to time.   Do you see anything similar on your rockwork?

Not as far as I can see 

[patback]

Definitely colonial hydroids.

[ml86743]

On 5/19/2023 at 12:49 PM, BubbleTrouble said:

Not as far as I can see 

I wouldn't worry until you see issues with corals.  I have a thin branching variety that will literally grow on flesh of some of my zoas and they don't seem to mind.  My populations seem to be tied to fine particulate foods and aminos. 

[BubbleTrouble]

56 minutes ago, ml86743 said:

I wouldn't worry until you see issues with corals.  I have a thin branching variety that will literally grow on flesh of some of my zoas and they don't seem to mind.  My populations seem to be tied to fine particulate foods and aminos. 

Okay, that's interesting! Would you say that the snail having the growth may be linked to it shuffling through a dirty sand bed?

[mcarroll]

It's linked to being unable to clean their own shell. 😉   No, not related to sand bed.  Read up on the lifestyle of hydroids, then enjoy them while they are there. (Cuz they won't last no matter what....too many oddball life stages for us to keep alive.)

 

Some hydroids are reef-oriented, BTW, so IMO don't automatically shift to worry-mode.  Seems like you might have one of those.  👍