Question on Live Rock

[KarenH]

I have a 72 Gallon Tank with Excellent lighting. My Coraline algae and soft corals are doing great, but I''ve noticed that I'm starting to get little white dots that look like sesame seeds all over my live rock. Does anyone have any idea what this is?

[Ninong]

Do you have any Nerite snails in your tank?

[KarenH]

Not that I know of, I have mostly Mexican Turbo and the like. The sesame seed size and shaped spots look like they're actually part of the rock itself.

[sihaya]

Without a picture, the only thing any of us can give you is a guess... my guess is snail eggs (if not nerite, then mabe a different snail). I *think* that's what Ninong is guessing too.

[Ninong]

...I''ve noticed that I'm starting to get little white dots that look like sesame seeds all over my live rock.

I thought maybe they might be Nerite snail egg cases because that's what the egg cases that my Nerite snails laid looked like. They looked like white sesame seeds stuck to the live rock. They would hatch a few days later.

Mexican turbo snail (Turbo fluctuosus) females brood eggs under their abdominal flaps until they hatch.

[Ninong]

Not that I know of, I have mostly Mexican Turbo and the like. The sesame seed size and shaped spots look like they're actually part of the rock itself.

It you just started noticing them, then they're probably "not part of the rock itself," but more likely something that was deposited on the rock by something in your tank.

P.S. -- How many different snails do you think you have in your tank besides Mexican turbo snails? In other words, what does "and the like" refer to???

[KarenH]

I have Small sand sifting, Mexican turbo, bumble bee, that's about all I have as far as snails go. What's funny with these spots is, they don't look like they're on the rock but actually in the rock. I'll try and see if I can get a photo tonight to post for your opinion.

[CSeaSee]

There are also small worms that secrete a white tubing and grow on the live rock- I don't know what they're called but they can look like sesame seeds. A pic would be great!