Stomatella, blowing smoke?

[WBrian]

Hi,
I have found a Stomatella in my tank on some live rock. It's been there for about a month. A few minutes ago I saw it coming out of a hole on a piece of LR, and it appeared to be blowing a smoke like stuff into the water. It looked just like smoke would look in the air, but obviously it's a liquid of some type. The stuff quickly dissipated, and my fish didn't seemed to bothered by it, they in fact went to check it out. (Flame angel ans 6line wrasse).

What's the smokey stuff?
Does this mean I have to stop dropping the cubans into the tank? It is kind of tuff to get them to stay lit, anyway.

Thanks!
Brian

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I have found a Stomatella in my tank on some live rock. It's been there for about a month. A few minutes ago I saw it coming out of a hole on a piece of LR, and it appeared to be blowing a smoke like stuff into the water. It looked just like smoke would look in the air, but obviously it's a liquid of some type. The stuff quickly dissipated, and my fish didn't seemed to bothered by it, they in fact went to check it out. (Flame angel ans 6line wrasse).

What's the smokey stuff?
Does this mean I have to stop dropping the cubans into the tank? It is kind of tuff to get them to stay lit, anyway.

Thanks!
Brian

eggs or sperm. It's a spawning. When I saw it in my tank a fish would wait for the next event then try to eat all it could.

 

[Anonymous]

If you stick around for a few minutes after this event you'll probably see the rest of the Stomatella coming out of holes everywhere to join the spawn.

 

[romunov]

You'll probably notice tiny snails in a few weeks.

 

[Mihai]

Yeah, that's their idea of "great sex". We have it pretty good by comparison .

M.

 

[xxdean057xx]

i have the small little white snails crawling all over my tank when the lights go out. along with all that i have a huge number of Stomatella coming out at the same time. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR ME and no one can help me get rid of them they always say they are good but i have thousands. i always see them smoking also almost everyday!! HELP

 

[Anonymous]

Lysmata wurdemanni will eat Stomatella.

 

[xxdean057xx]

i have 2 in my tank already for a another problem i had earlier. i have never seen them eat the stomatella just in case anything else eats them or something i can add to the water ? i have a few sps and other lps in the tank and its only a 24 gallon so size is a factor

sorry brian for derailing your thread but this problem is driving me crazy and might force me out of reefing

 

[Anonymous]

The stomatellas wil take care of themselves. As the food source runs out, their numbers will dwindle. What are the other "small little white snails" in your tank?

 

[xxdean057xx]

The stomatellas wil take care of themselves. As the food source runs out, their numbers will dwindle. What are the other "small little white snails" in your tank?

i have no idea what the little white snails are but there is hundreds of them that come out with the stomatellas at night when the led's are on. its pretty revolting to people that come by my house at night and see hundreds of slugs and snails blanketing my rocks and glass. i sure hope the stomatellas "take care of themselves" because it gives me a little hope they will dissapear

 

[Mihai]

They are EATING something! If you kill them all (get a shrimp for example), you'll have plenty of what they ate around the tank. Trust me - you want them .

M.

 

[Anonymous]

They only eat Diatoms as far as I know.

 

[xxdean057xx]

well i do have a diatom problem ive been using the polyfilter to help with the problem.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure polyfilters remove Silicates. Are you using pure water or tap water?

 

[xxdean057xx]

im using store bought ro water but im not sure if its silicate free because of the outbreaks ive been having lately. i was told polyfilters would remove silicates so i have been trying it out. seems its reducing it a little.

 

[Anonymous]

RO typically removes 70% of Silicate. To get the rest it needs to go through a DI.

The Somatella should be helping you a LOT with the Diatoms though.

 

[Anonymous]

I was under the impression that they were algae grazers. I found it on a site somewhere but have forgotten since. Mine stay on the glass and rocks and you can see the tracks through the green algae on the galss afterwards.

 

[Anonymous]

I was under the impression that they were algae grazers. I found it on a site somewhere but have forgotten since. Mine stay on the glass and rocks and you can see the tracks through the green algae on the galss afterwards.

You're absolutely correct on all counts. Many types of Diatoms (algea) congregate on surfaces and Stomatella are experts at rasping them off the glass & rocks and eating them.