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Re: unidentified parasite




On Mon, 20 Dec 1999, Hacksent Naltler wrote:

> Someone please help me to identify this possible parasite in one of my
> tanks.  They are 1mm (the biggest one i can find), have a clear-colorless
> silicate back/shell, stick to the class, have to remove with a razor or
> squash em where they are.

It doesn't sound like a parasite to me.  The glass isn't the most usual
place to find a parasite.

You might have limpets.  Small limpets can be clear but their shells are
calcite, not silica.  The ones I had in one of my tank got up to about 3
mm and changed from clear to white as they got older.  They proved to be
completely harmless algae grazers.

The limpets eventually disappeared, and I kind of miss the little guys.


Roger Miller