Thought I'd pass along a cool shot that I took last weekend. My Nassarius Vibex lay eggs CONSTANTLY. The success rate of hatch is next to nil (I have maybe 3 or 4 that are in and around 1CM that I did not purchase) but they try and try again. I think my pipefish or mandarin are eating the eggs. They typically last, on the glass, for 3 or 4 days before disappearing.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/VibEggLayer.jpg

Awesome shot!

Merci! I will have to come clean though.. I DID photoshop out some sand, slime/mucous etc. that the snail left as it made its way up the glass to lay the eggs. Other than that, it's as I witnessed it :)

I freaking love it. EGGcellent!

*saves it to the hard drive*

Gee, I should have egg laying patterns in the critter ID guide... Hmmmm.....

I clean up all of my photos... well most of them. I don't make things what they are not or change their color but you can be darn sure I "erase" things like a hanging piece of poop from an otherwise great fish shot. Shows pride in your work when ya take the time.

Gee, I should have egg laying patterns in the critter ID guide... Hmmmm.....

Yes you should...

I clean up all of my photos... well most of them.

I don't.. remember that picture of Santa gettin his butt nipped by the mantis...I just happened to be at the right place at the right time ;)

I "erase" things like a hanging piece of poop from an otherwise great fish shot. Shows pride in your work when ya take the time.

Really? I'm a fan of poopie fish :rotfl:

David? If I find enough eggs-on-glass samples to make it a little section could I use your vibex pic?

jeez i wish my inverts take their turn to lay some eggs 'cuz my mandarin would love to have a treat now and then

Renee... sure you can... and how timely.. I've got some additional eggs to shoot for you. I think they are turbo? No pattern..just white eggs, that look to be surrounded by a clear membrane. The turbo is the only one on that glass all night. I'll see what I can do.

D

David,

Are you sure that is a Nassarius vibex? That looks a lot more like a Tonga Nassarius to me. Beautiful picture though :) I can't remember the latin name for the "Tonga Nassarius" right now, but the eggs might actually be hatching in 3 or 4 days, not getting eaten, they have a short hatching time.

Renee, are you putting together a webpage with snail egg pictures? I could probably donate a couple.

Brian

David, my lettuce laid eggs last night too!

Brian, I'm putting together a Hitchhiker ID guide. Something really simple... once I figure out all the codes. It seems a lot of people have been asking lately "what is this" is reference to eggs so I was thinking it may be an interesting addition.

Are you sure that is a Nassarius vibex? That looks a lot more like a Tonga Nassarius to me.

You know what I'm sure of????

I'm sure that YOU, Brian... are correct. :) Yes, these are large Nassarius (about 1/2 inch and growing) and are obviously not the smaller vibex.

Thanks..and I mean it. I HATE misinformation... you are allright with me bro.

D

i'd be interested about the latin name of the Tongans as well, since i've been under the impression they were more of a subspecies or variant, much like the Northern H. erectus and the Southern H. erectus in seahorses.

You know what I'm sure of????

I'm sure that YOU, Brian... are correct. :) Yes, these are large Nassarius (about 1/2 inch and growing) and are obviously not the smaller vibex.

Thanks..and I mean it. I HATE misinformation... you are allright with me bro.

D

D,

I don't know how I missed this reply. Anyway, glad to help out, I HATE misinformation too and have spent the last 3 years trying to counteract all the mis-information I spewed in my first two years in the hobby :) Heck the last 5 :D

But it is all part of trying to improve my knowledge and maybe a tiny bit in the hobby. It takes a good reefer to listen to and accept they had misinformation in such a gracious way. You would be suprised at some of the reactions i've gotten when I say...You know...I think that isn't X, but Y.

You are alright by me bro. :up:

B.

Dude... if you think this was "graciously", you should see my response to Renee (Seahorsedreams) on seahorse.org where I incorrectly identified this:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/CupCoral.jpg

As a variety of non-colonizing cup coral. :) (For those inquiring minds, it is a coralimorph.)

Hey...just look at my signature line. I'll always be a newbie :) If I start getting too old to learn, or too stubborn to be taught, I'm just going to give up the hobby and sit on the beaches :)

In all seriousness, we, as hobbyists HAVE to understand the impact we are making on the sciences and the hobby itself. It is imperative that we do our best to try and not provide misinformation, whether unintentional, or with intent to position ones self in a community or whatnot.

I say, "Thank You" to peeps like you and Renee who keep us on track whenever possible.

Dave

Here is my distortus.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o292/critters_album/distortus.jpg

Good morning sunshine ;) Nice snail.. methinks he's trying to camoflague as a bumblebee!!

D

Renee... sure you can... and how timely.. I've got some additional eggs to shoot for you. I think they are turbo? No pattern..just white eggs, that look to be surrounded by a clear membrane. The turbo is the only one on that glass all night. I'll see what I can do.

D

I didn't see this... did ya get it! Did ya get it!

Yeah...lemme look.

D

K... this picture is grainy...cause they lay in evening and eggs could be gone by day. The pipefish and mandarin eat them.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/Eggs.jpg

If photobucket reduces etc.... I can email you the original. I have more... *gone diggin*

D

Closer...and brighter..

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/TurboEggs2.jpg

Oh...here's one for ya 'nee....

A gammarus molt...

Sorry... all three of these last few pics were taken freehand. My tripod was at Gustavo's house for the recording of the podcasts.

Dave

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/molt.jpg