Baby pics!

I've been checking those Leafy Hornmouth egg cases in the aquarium every few hours this week, and finally this afternoon, I saw a dark speck on top. Very tiny; it looked more like a speck of dust, and I left it there. This evening, there were three specks. I fished them out with a paintbrush and looked at them under the microscope, because they were too small to see clearly with only the hand lens.

They are baby snails, still carrying what looks like a bit of yolk, but ready to go out into the wide world.

The egg case is 1 cm. long; the baby snail is about 2.5 mm.

Stretching to turn itself over. I had just returned it to the tank, upside-down.

Two of the babies, out of the tank.

Now, three hours later, another four have emerged, and there are several in the "birth canals", the pointed top ends of the egg cases. More are waiting inside.

The first three have gone on their ways. I don't see them anywhere;it's a big, busy tank, with many hiding places. And many dangers. I hope they have found safe havens.

And meanwhile, Ma and Pa are down on the bottom of the tank, pigging out on a rock full of barnacles that I brought them this Monday.