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Re: aquatic scale insects
>
> Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 09:19:22 -0600
> From: David H Soh <dsoh at iastate_edu>
> Subject: Fish parasite or 'aquatic scale insect'
>
> I cleaned my Magnum canister filter last night and noticed numerous small
> bumps on the inside of the filter body. It is about 1/16 in in diameter,
> somewhat oval in shape and mobile. When I observed it under the dissecting
> scope, it looked exactly like a terrestrial scale insect or more like a
> miniature abalone, with a shell and a slug like body underneath. Does
> anybody know what it is ? Is it a fish parasite ? If it is, does it have a
> free swimming larval stage where I can kill it with a UV sterilizer ? I
> have not noticed them in the tank or gravel but I'm sure thay are there.
> Thanks in advance.
>
These sound like the same little critters that I identified as limpets,
and asked about on the list just a couple weeks back.
Limpets are gastropods and so related to snails and slugs. As near as I
can tell most species are marine, but some live in brackish and fresh water.
All of them that I've found information about are algal grazers.
Someone (please accept my apology, but I don't remember who) responded on
the list indicating that they were competitive with snails, but otherwise
harmless.
Roger Miller