Baby Trochus - unknown species.

Baby Trochus - 1/16 inch across (1.5mm) Picture taken January 2007, Nikon D70 Digital SLR, Sigma 105mm EX macro lens

I was very surprised to find a number of baby snails in one of the overflow chambers. The one pictured here was one of the larger ones I could fine at just under 1/16 of an inch across (1.5mm).

Over the course of the past year there has been a number of occasions where the snails have been observed spawning at the water surface.

Baby Trochus - 1/4 inch across (6.35mm) Picture taken February 2007, Nikon D70 Digital SLR, Sigma 105mm EX macro lens

Viable offspring are not common due to the length of the planktonic stage, having the proper first food ideas, and predation.

These two empty shells where found in my overflow chambers. This shows some significant growth in some of the young snails.

Baby Trochus next to US Penny Picture taken May 2007, Nikon D70 Digital SLR, Sigma 105mm EX macro lens

This is one of the small ones that have grown up a little. This one was found inside the skimmer feeding off algae growing on the skimmer body facing the halide lighting.