Keyhole Limpets ate my Sponge

[grimlock3000]

I had a couple of bright green sponges in my tank, growing very slowly but they were neat to look at. Yesterday, I caught two Keyhole Limpets on one of the sponges, just figured they were wandering. Instead of wandering, they ate the whole Sponge. A couple months ago, I suspected the Limpets of eating my Yellow Button Polyps but never caught then on it. Well, now that sponge is gone and I have to go on a Limpet hunt.

Should I take them out of the tank, or just kill them in the tank and let the other inverts eat them? I figure I can stab them with a knife two at a time and let the clean up crew eat them.

 

[dralarms]

I've been taking mine out and tossing them into the sump. Nothing they can hurt there plus the big stone crab needed some company

 

[Florida8]

I agree... toss them in the sump. Mine made meals of my button polyps too- caught red handed. Out they went.

 

[grimlock3000]

No sump, I will now commence stabbing

 

[grimlock3000]

These things are tough! I had to switch to a pearing knife to stab them and then try to get them off the rocks (they are on there like they are glued). Even then, they would keep moving. I got four Limpets stabbed and put them in a pile. Then I grabbed the Hermits I could see and put them in the general area for dinner. I had to restab the Limpets a few times because they kept using the Hermit shells to hold on to and not get eaten.

 

[Jchillin]

Sir Grimlock - "Limpet Hunter" ESQ. Sounds like the hermits are having a nice meal.

 

[c0mf0rt]

LOL.... do whatcha gotta do....

 

[grimlock3000]

I found another Limpet stuck on a Hermit crab shell and just took all of the Limpets out of the tank instead of letting the Hermits eat them. No idea how to actually kill these things effectively, they just turn in zombies