Sylvia S. Edwards wrote:
> My personal experience has been that barnacles will "pop" off with some
> applied pressure by something such as a dull table knife.  No bleach or
> chemicals required.

True.

Horse conchs are very common locally, and I have cleaned several. Being
apex predators, they don't bother to burrow to keep their shells clean.
Even the octopi don't mess with the big ones. I have never seen a larger
one (12"+) without barnacles.

(Last week I separated a 22" that was attacking a 10", left both but
about 50' apart. Help stamp out cannibalism.)

I usually leave the barnacles (and attached scallops) because I think it
gives the shell character. The algae will clean off with a scrub brush.
I usually pick off any worm shells with a dental pick.

The periostracum is easily preserved with a liberal dousing of Scott's
Liquid Gold, wiped off with a cloth. Every few years, or at the first
sign of flaking, it gets another Scott's treatment.

Although common, cheap, and of little interest to collectors, I think
they are exceptionally nice shells. And the fact that they are the
tyranosaurus rex of the reef gives them a nice juxtaposition to their
prey in my collection.

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