Pest snail or reef safe critter?

Savi_george · Nov 18, 2023

Guys, I’m sorry but after searching high & low..I need help. Below are some pictures of some snails that only come out at night, no bigger than a fresh water assassin snail and similar in shape only orange/brown & black. I’m new to this but very familiar with fresh water. I inherited a 400ltr tank and just recently have noticed these guys getting stuck in my gyra wave maker (the sound of which is scary, especially at night!) this is my first post so don’t let me down please. I always end up on this site with the numerous other questions I have and usually get an answer without ever having to ask but after pages and pages of snail related threads, I’m still none the wiser. Hopefully the pictures are enough. So, pest and take them out? Or nano tank snail and keep them in. I seem to be loosing Zoas which I’ve just recently found out could be being eaten by those little white starfish which my gf INSISTED I kept in ‍

, but for all I know it could also be these little guys. Thanks in advance. Savi

ISpeakForTheSeas · Nov 18, 2023

Looks like the Dotted Dove Snail, Euplica scripta - should be a keeper.

kjkszpj9 · Nov 19, 2023

Yeah those are very nice and good algae eaters cause of their long mouths.

WheatToast · Nov 19, 2023

ISpeakForTheSeas said:
Looks like the Dotted Dove Snail, Euplica scripta - should be a keeper.

Agreed. They are small, so they can graze film algae on surfaces that other snails cannot reach. They are also prolific breeders (eggs), with their populations dependent on available resources (like bladder snails in the freshwater hobby, good guys IMO).