While trapped inside the sea whelk, SpongeBob references the Season 1 episode "Suds" when he says, "After all, I've had the suds."
"Whelk Attack" reveals SpongeBob's mother's maiden name is Bubblebottom.
Squidward watches a soap called "As the Tide Turns", which is a parody of the former long-running soap As the World Turns (1956).