weird snails

[motox]

tonight i brought home a firefish. the lights have been out for about 1 hour. when i notice that he was not moving very much unit he swam out from under the rock were he was hiding and noticed that he had two hitch hikers stuck on him. when i went to net him to pick them off they let go and left a sore on either side of his back end. they were about 5mm long and they move very quick for a snail. the body of these creature are white and the shell is shiny cream colour. can any one tell me what they are are what to do about them. I think i just solved the mystery of the missing sand sifters that keep going missing

[Scavenger]

No idea what they may be, but try baiting them into a small trap (ie 35 mm film bottle trap) with cocktail shrimp or something and get them out of your tank if they are fish suckers. Just my opinion.

[IslandReefer]

I am no expert but they sound like an aggresive isopod or copapod. Here's an info link:http://www.wetwebmedia.com/parasitf.htm
Hope it is of some help...you sure don't want many more...good luck, hope the little firefish heals up.
John

[Beverly]

If you can get a photo of the bugs, post it to the Dr. Ron forum at RC. He's great at IDing bugs.

We found some strange looking bugs in our 72g. Turns out they are good isopods, so we aren't worried about them now. While I was researching parasitic isopods, I was told that the tank would have to remain without fish for at least six months, maybe more, to eradicate parasitic isopods That meant no feeding the tank, either, because they will subsist on anything, even detritus, until fish come along. Man, they're evil