Small snails(return pump in fuge)

[Mavjoy]

Hello there. I have this small window where my return pump sits and i just noticed that there are a bunch of small light color snails clinging to the pump. They have some kind of pattern on their shells tho. I can't take a good picture of it, but I'll try later and see. They are really tiny. Does anyone know what they are? Are they good for the tank? It's not restricting my flow so i guess I'll leave them alone for now.

 

[DAHansen]

Are they white and beige striped with an "upright" circular shell? If so, they are more than likely fine. I can't remember what those little guys are called, but I see them all the time in my tank at night and the dark chambers.

 

[framerguy]

can you remove one briefly, long enough to take a photo?

 

[Mavjoy]

I can't take them out right now.I'll try to take one out when I do my weekly maintenance next week.

 

[BigJay]

I've seen so many names for them its not funny. like periwinkles. Terrific climbers and terrifc cleaners. That absolutely eat a ton of algae for their size. I just ordered some more actually then noticed yesterday I had about 20 micro sized ones on another rock.

 

[BigJay]

ReefCleaners.org - Tank Cleaners
scroll down to the last snail.. do they look like that?

Just make sure they aren't sun dials.

heres another link with the small algae eating snails and a pic of the sun dials for comparison

Sundial Snail??? - The Reef Tank


heres a better link to the harmless snails
The Grazing Snails, Part I - Turbo, Trochus, Astraea, and Kin by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com collinista is the name

 

[Mavjoy]

Thanks for the heads up Bigjay. I checked them out again and they resemble more of the periwinkles. I don't see them on my display tank just in the refuge area. So, i guess they are the beneficial ones. Nice.