Cone-shaped

[sueandherzoo]

Sorry I have no photo but I've attached a drawing of the shape of what I saw. It was basically a flattened cone with 2 or 3 horizontal circles of color (opposite of the vertical coloring in the diagram). It was 3:00 a.m. and I was staring into the tank for one last time before bed (yes, I'm a zombie at the office today) and saw a pretty circular thing on one of th LR's. As I looked at it from a different angle I could tell it was cone-shaped and thought it was odd I had never noticed it there before but then figured maybe it was just a calcified something that's always been there but was getting more pronounced coloring since the tank is coming to life. I got up this morning and it's no longer where it was so now I'm thinking it's a hitchhiker of some sort. If and when I see it again I will take a picture but can anyone tell me what might be in there that is cone-shaped and moves? I don't think it was a type of snail - it was perfectly round and had such pretty circular colors.
Sue

 

[alix2.0]

limpet. beneficial unless it had a "keyhole" in the top. new tanks have lots, but theyll go away after time.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Wow - thanks for the quick and accurate solution - I love this site! After doing a search and looking at several photos of limpets that's most definitely what I saw but I'm not sure yet how to tell if it was a "keyhole" or not. Does it have to have the uniquely-shaped opening in the top? Some of the photos of keyholes look very much like what I saw but without an obvious hole in the top. I've got to find that little bugger again and check him out in detail!
Sue

 

[alix2.0]

most likely he's harmless. im not exactly sure how to tell a keyhole from a harmless one except for the hole in the top, and ive read some places say that even some limpets with a hole in the top are harmless. i would just leave them and observe, watch to make sure they arent bothering anything.

 

[threed240]

These things have a grip like no other. I had one that grew to about 1.25" in length and I tried removing it, and placing it in my fuge. I thought I was going to have to pry it off with a knife to get it loose. They are extremely slow movers.

 

[alix2.0]

lol, ive noticed the same thing. most of the time i end up pulling the shell off leaving the body stuck to whatever it was on!

 

[sueandherzoo]

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[hr]
making mental note to self to not try to remove limpet if ever spotted again.