WTF is this? Id needed.

[FutureInterest]

I've been on and off away from home for the past few weeks and I finally got a chance to do some work on my tank last night. So in the wee hours of the night I saw this odd thing poking its head out...

If you know me... you know I tried to kill it. Before failing in my murderous rage I did take a few snapshots in the dark. It seemed to be stretching out from a hole in the rock. You can only see part of the body in this picture which I can only assume is the "head".


Thanks,
Jin

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[glxtrix]

You talking about the tan thing near the reef putty?

 

[FutureInterest]

Yes. Exactly. It has alternating ovals of grey and lavender on the top of it.

 

[skriz]

looks like an evil flatworm!

 

[glxtrix]

or a sea slug maybe? Not sure. can't say I've seen this one before. Time to send to wet web media.

 

[skriz]

kill first, ask questions later!

 

[mojo]

Is the outside hard? It looks like it could be a limpet, which is harmless. They typically have a very hard shell, with a "skirt" of flesh that wraps around them, and are almost impossible to get off the rocks. Supposedly good survival food, if you get that desperate...

 

[glxtrix]

I thought that at first too, but aren't most limpet shells conical?

 

[mojo]

I had one in my tank a couple years ago that I'd see from time to time, and it was pretty thin. It's hard to tell the shape exactly from Jin's picture, but it does look similar to what I had in my tank...

 

[george]

Looks more like a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiton">Chiton</a>. Harmless even beneficial as it eats algae, diatoms, and bacteria, though not exactly at a blistering pace.

I had one in my tank for several years. Or it might have been several for one year each. Hard to tell.

Here's a site I found with a TON of information and pictures: [IMG]http://home.inreach.com/burghart/">http://home.inreach.com/burghart/</a> As you can see from the pics, they come in all colors, but pretty much are all shaped like what you seem to have.

 

[ralph atl]

it's a chiton, I have that looks exactly like it. I only see him at night. Its good!

 

[FutureInterest]

Thank you everyone for your input. The correct answer is indeed chiton! It seems very wormlike so I had disgarded chitons or limpets as a possiblity. I was aparently too hasty... The lil lavender and gray ovals on the top are shells.

A Flexible Chiton (Cryptoplax larvaeformis</em>) moves inside the reef to avoid the light on a coral reef near Mabul Island, Sabah in Borneo, Malaysia.
As the eight shell valves have been reduced in this long species (about 5"-6") long, it can appear to be more worm like than other Chiton species. They are normally nocturnal, though when seen during day light hours they generally rapidly retreat into the reef. Due to the reduced shell size which does not protect the whole body, they are also found away from wave action unlike other chiton species.

 

[ralph atl]

his rocks

 

[fishfiend]

Just be aware because they do chomp on silicone. However you'd tell because there would be pretty significant bite marks. They can actually bite through limestone with their powerful jaws!

I happen to think chitons are ridiculously cute too.

 

[fishfiend]

Sorry... SOME chomp silicone. So just keep an eye on things. I can certainly promise you that most of you have chitons in your tanks. Take a red light to the tank at night and you can see little ones among the rocks.

 

[chauwall]

I had one too. It ate thru my holes in the overflow. Now instead of a slit, it is like 1/2" round hole. That thing has some powerful chops to bite thru hard plastic!

 

[acroholic]

Those guys must be nice in an acrylic tank!

 

[ralph atl]

in the couple of years that I've had him, I've never seen him stray far (about 6-8 inches) from his spot in the rocks.

 

[FutureInterest]

Well I hope he doesn't move. Even still, if it eats plastic/acrylic... its gotta go.

Chau did your chiton look like this? :

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[chauwall]

It looked exactly like your first photo and similar in shape with humps like the photo but not that coloring.-it wasn't striped. It moved quick too like a turbo snail and only came out at night and lived in my overflows.