My Snail's a streaker!

[funkincredible]

I have a snail that seems to have ditched his shell, and now he just cruises around

[hr]
. He seems happy and he's been like this for almost a week, has anyone ever heard of this? Will he grow anew shell? what gives?
-Dustin

 

[predator]

what type of snail is it? Alot of them will shed there shells and grow a new one, because there is no way they can just grow inside that same shell. It may take a while but he should produce another shell.

 

[green mariner]

This is the first I have heard of snails ditching their shells and growing new one's. I have about 6 different species of snails in my tank and their shells grow with the snails, the new growth is very obvious.
Predator, can you give more info on exactly what snails ditch their shells and grow new ones?
Funkincredible, sounds like you have seen a stomatella varia. snail, they are common hitchhiker and algae grazers so they are perfectly reef safe.

If this is not it, you may have seen a nudibranch or sea slug.

 

[tomato clown]

Before adding new fish into my 25, I had about 6 Mexican Turbo Snails in my tank, I actually watched as 1 decided he prefered to run arround butt neked. While on the rock one day, he ditched his shell and went inside a small hole, About 6 hours later I noticed that he picked his shell up again. I thought he was just freaky, but I guess there are a few nudists out there.
Dan

 

[wally]

Originally posted by Predator:
<STRONG>what type of snail is it? Alot of them will shed there shells and grow a new one, because there is no way they can just grow inside that same shell. It may take a while but he should produce another shell.</STRONG>
A snails shell is a part of it. It grows when it does they do not just shed shells. If it is having some type of stress or illness they may lose its shell but that snail is in the process of dying.

 

[funkincredible]

It's an Astrea snail, at least that's whatthe other ones are. He does look like the snail in the picture, but I haven't done anything to my tanks for about 4 months or so, and all the other snails have been having a lot of new growth (The new portion of shell is bright white) but the guy I'm talking about is nekkid as a jay bird, but seems far from almost dying, I just thought it was kinda weird. Till he looks sick, I'll just figure he's a little free spirited and what not.
-Dustin

 

[von_rahvin]

sounds pretty cool. I have never haerd of a snail doing this but hey why not. i believe you if you say he is healthy. enjoy the

[hr]
snail!

 

[ubeturwrasse]

pre-prepped escargo.

 

[fishymissy]

If your snail looks like the one in the picture, then it's not an astrea snail. Astrea's have conical shaped shells.
I have been in this hobby for over 30yrs, and have NEVER heard or seen any kind of a snail leaving it's shell. As Wally and others have stated, snails are part of their shell, they cannot leave them and live. Also they actually grow their own shells to suit their size.
Maybe what you are seeing is a limpet, or a nudibranch that you didn't know was in your tank.
[ December 12, 2001: Message edited by: fishymissy ]

 

[fishymissy]

There was one other thing I wanted to add to the list of possibilites, but I am unable to come up with the name of it. Which is terrible, because I KNEW this awhile back, and now I can't remember. I had one of these in my tank too. It's a relative of the snail and if seen from below (like when it's cruising on the glass) it looks exactly like a snail with regards to the foot and mouth. On it's back though it's different. Instead of a shell it has a soft but tough membrane that drapes over the back. The edges look slightly wavy. Mine was orange. I have spent the last hour or so, trying to find a name for this, but I have not had success yet. And now the husband and son are a bit upset that dinner is so late.......

 

[seabass]

before my tanked crashed I had a snail that left his shell. It grew 2" long and never grew a shell back on. At first I was looking around the net no see what this can be, than I realized its a snail without a shell lol. was pretty kewl!