That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Some of the most interesting animals in aquariums can be the ones we never knew we had.  Aquarists often turn to the internet in trying to figure out what some unidentified thing in their aquarium is and where it came from. One of my favorite unexpected hitchhikers is the Stomatella Snail.

Stomatella Snails look like and are often mistaken for several other organisms like Limpets, Nudibranchs (sea slugs), or Abalone Snails but they are actually more closely related to Turbo and Margarita Snails. Stomatella’s only grow to just over an inch in length and have a small, flat shell on the top of their body. They actually don’t fully withdraw into their shell like other more traditional snails. This external shell and small operculum (the “trapdoor”) on the back of their foot separate them from the Nudibranchs and sea slugs, and the lack of “holes” and openings in the shell separate them from the Limpets and Abalones. Read More »