ID Check on hitchhiker (on clam)

[Fatman]

Ive noticed this thing growing on my clam since I had it (over 6 months now) my clam has never showed any signs of stress so Im not especially nervous but I want to make sure.

It resembles a worm/snail in a shell. The shell is attached to the clam and is very hard. It also seems to produce a mucus "net" to catch things.

PS: The clam is closed in the pics because I played with it, to keep it close for the pics.






Here is a better shot of the "Net"

[ramoth41]

A Snail is exactly what it is!! They use that "net" to "fish" for food. The nets can be really long and they look down right funky cuz they're sticky and collect all sorts of junk. We had one in an acro and the acro crab would try to sneek up on it and grab it! He hated that thing! But sure was comical!
I've never seen one on a clam ut it might as it grows irritate the clam because its so close to the mantle. Now that you have one I bet you have others. I think we have 2 or 3.
Hope that helps
Here's the coral with the snail it's in the bottom right side or the close up


and here's one you can see the "net"

[graphixx]

looks like a barnacle to me. you would think if it was a snail it would be mobile.

[Fatman]

Well as of right now its not bothering the clam so if its not bad should I not bother with it?

[at]

if it is removable you might want to get it off the clam, just in case.

[melev]

It is a vermetid snail. The web or net is broadcast to capture food, especially at feeding time. It can become an irritant to some corals, and it is possible to have too many vermetids in your tank at once if you get the tinier kind growing in mass amounts.

If you do decide to get rid of it, you'll need to chip/chisel it off the clam.

[ramoth41]

I found an artical for ya... it's abit long but it's pretty good

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

[hummer]

nice action pics way to go......

for evey pic you see of mine there are 30 to 40 bad ones pics that is ....lol lol

[Fatman]

nice action pics way to go......

for evey pic you see of mine there are 30 to 40 bad ones pics that is ....lol lol

Its all on working around the distortion of the glass and macro mode helps alot too. Im still trying to tweak this camera but I plan to get an SLRDigi SOME day, I have an SLR Film but I want the digi.

[hummer]

whats a macro mode?