[allykay]

Hello! I recently bought a mexican turbo snail. After I got him home, I realized that his shell looked as though it had once had a colony of SOMETHING that had left holes and tubes in/on his shell. And in a few of those holes there are about 5 little tiny orange guys. they slowly slide out and pop open like a feather duster would, but then they stay solid and don't sway with the current. As soon as the snail makes a sudden movement or a fish swims by they dart back inside. I would take pictures but my camera isn't in working condition. please help, I'm SUPER curious!!!

[spanko]

Barnacles, cool hitch hiker on the snail shell.

Look kind of like this?


and this?

YouTube - Feeding barnacle

[allykay]

no, not really. the little orange guy that pops out really looks like a feather duster, but he doesn't sway at all. it's odd. thanks for asking though!

[spanko]

Okay how about this?

[allykay]

I can't tell. They never stick out farther than the orange part that fans out. They look like feather dusters, similar anyways, but they don't act like them. this really is confusing....

[unclejed]

From what you are describing, may just be some sort of coral. Take a look at this coral in my tank. It is orange, although much bigger than what you are describing, see if it looks similar.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...t/55gal039.jpg

[e_baer]

They may be feather dusters without the fans. It is common for the fans to fall off durring times of stress (shipping, new tank, etc.).

[allykay]

I can't get to the link, my work blocks that site for some reason. is there any way you could post the picture?

and I'm not sure if they are feather dusters, because they do have that orange part that fans out. It's only one 'head' (layer?) of a crown if it is one.

Thanks for your helps on this. As far as I can tell, they aren't bothering the snail or anything else in the tank. I just would like to know because it's fun to watch them, and I would like to buy more stationary ones if I can!!