Id on worm/slug/leech- w/pics and a algae

myfrostymember · 01/25/2010, 08:55 PM

i need some ids been lookin gbut need to know before the guy is dead in my bucket- he is huge around 4"+ and as thick as my thumb

the algae is small looks like a fan but grows like wild and seems to have a root structure down into the sand and on the rocks

Chiefsurfer · 01/25/2010, 09:31 PM

The shape and color resembles a nudibranch to me. BUT, I would NEVER think they coul dget 4" long, but who knows. Is it soft throughout the body? I would say it either has to be some kind of slug, or sea cucumber. Of those choices, there are many that are not good for your system, and a few that are ok. Hope someone has a better idea.

myfrostymember · 01/25/2010, 09:46 PM

one person has said flatworm but he isnt flat at all hes atleast as big as 1/2 in diameter - and a little furry even maybe seemed hard not really soft i didnt touch the thing i got him outa the rock with a screw driver it wasnt easy

Tylt33 · 01/25/2010, 10:50 PM

Looks like a cucumber to me... get rid of that bubble algae, that's the worst algae ever!

Larah · 01/25/2010, 11:27 PM

Nope that's a chiton! He's beneficial and should be put back into your tank and left alone :-)
and that is NOT bubble algea it'sa calcium loving algea and is just fine in your tank!

Larah · 01/25/2010, 11:41 PM

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...l_part_of.html

myfrostymember · 01/25/2010, 11:44 PM

how can ya tell the difference in a chiton a sea slug and a flatworm and a cucumber? and i do have bubble algae im working on that the leafy algae is crazy everywhere and cant be stopped so i can tell

Larah · 01/25/2010, 11:45 PM

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...l_part_of.html

Cryptoplax sp

Hephalump · 01/25/2010, 11:47 PM

I have had the fan shaped algae and I found it to be a nuisance. It grew to cover several rocks almost entirely, and every once in a while would go sexual causing water quality issues. I finally got rid of it by adding some turbo snails.

Larah · 01/25/2010, 11:48 PM

google 'em :-)
But this is definitely a Chiton.
flat worm is smaller and well, flatter. cucumber is plumper and rounder.
Yeah that macroalgea can be a nuisance. jsut pull it out if you hate it.
and sorry about the bubblea algea I have it too :-(
emerald crabs can help...

myfrostymember · 01/26/2010, 12:03 AM

ok cool i fond him i think thanks i didnt even think chiton never thought one would be that big in my tank and never see it after 3 years

http://www.bluering.org.au/Chitons-1725.htm think hes this species

http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_...97238/sizes/o/ someones photo but almost identical

thanks guys any ideas about the algae

greenbean36191 · 01/26/2010, 08:00 AM

You can tell the difference between a chiton and a slug or flatworm because they have segmented shells on their backs. They usually have 8, but sometimes have 7 or 9 segments. A few weird species have the shells hidden within the mantle, but you won't see those in the hobby. In Cryptoplax the valves are reduced, but they're still visible as the row of ovals down the back.

Some slugs can have shells, but they're almost always only 1 part and usually they're poorly developed or completely hidden. For the most part, none of the slugs that show up in the hobby have obvious shells and no slug will ever have an 8-part shell. Also, whereas a chiton doesn't really have a head, slugs will have an obvious head with obvious "antennae" in most cases.

Flatworms are flat. They never have a shell, and although some will curl the edge of their body up to look mimic antennae, they never have real antennae. Most are also thin enough to see through and if you look inside many will have no real organs, but on some of the polyclads you might see a pharynx, which is basically their mouth, about midway down the animal.

Chiefsurfer · 01/26/2010, 11:01 AM

That's cool that he is a chiton that big. I have some small ones which move SOOOOOOO slow. I read up once I found out what they were. He will probably outlive you. Some are believed to live more than a century.

Larah · 01/26/2010, 11:09 AM

I was hoping Green Bean would jump in here, that's how I found out I had one!
Green Bean is full of fantastic knowledge!
I had a chiton for about 3 years, came in on a peice of live rock, he has since passed away, R.I.P little guy ......

01/25/2010, 08:55 PM	#1
myfrostymember Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 503	Id on worm/slug/leech- w/pics and a algae i need some ids been lookin gbut need to know before the guy is dead in my bucket- he is huge around 4"+ and as thick as my thumb the algae is small looks like a fan but grows like wild and seems to have a root structure down into the sand and on the rocks

01/25/2010, 09:31 PM	#2
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	The shape and color resembles a nudibranch to me. BUT, I would NEVER think they coul dget 4" long, but who knows. Is it soft throughout the body? I would say it either has to be some kind of slug, or sea cucumber. Of those choices, there are many that are not good for your system, and a few that are ok. Hope someone has a better idea. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

01/25/2010, 11:47 PM	#9
Hephalump Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 244	I have had the fan shaped algae and I found it to be a nuisance. It grew to cover several rocks almost entirely, and every once in a while would go sexual causing water quality issues. I finally got rid of it by adding some turbo snails. __________________ You can change your socks, but if you don't wash your feet they will still stink. Current Tank Info: 65 gal bowfront mixed reef, Maxspect Razor 160w, Reef Octopus NW150, Aquamaxx Nano calcium reactor, vortech mp40, pair of ocellaris clowns, starry blenny.

01/26/2010, 08:00 AM	#12
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	You can tell the difference between a chiton and a slug or flatworm because they have segmented shells on their backs. They usually have 8, but sometimes have 7 or 9 segments. A few weird species have the shells hidden within the mantle, but you won't see those in the hobby. In Cryptoplax the valves are reduced, but they're still visible as the row of ovals down the back. Some slugs can have shells, but they're almost always only 1 part and usually they're poorly developed or completely hidden. For the most part, none of the slugs that show up in the hobby have obvious shells and no slug will ever have an 8-part shell. Also, whereas a chiton doesn't really have a head, slugs will have an obvious head with obvious "antennae" in most cases. Flatworms are flat. They never have a shell, and although some will curl the edge of their body up to look mimic antennae, they never have real antennae. Most are also thin enough to see through and if you look inside many will have no real organs, but on some of the polyclads you might see a pharynx, which is basically their mouth, about midway down the animal. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

01/26/2010, 11:01 AM	#13
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	That's cool that he is a chiton that big. I have some small ones which move SOOOOOOO slow. I read up once I found out what they were. He will probably outlive you. Some are believed to live more than a century. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

01/25/2010, 09:46 PM	#3
myfrostymember Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 503	one person has said flatworm but he isnt flat at all hes atleast as big as 1/2 in diameter - and a little furry even maybe seemed hard not really soft i didnt touch the thing i got him outa the rock with a screw driver it wasnt easy

01/25/2010, 10:50 PM	#4
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	Looks like a cucumber to me... get rid of that bubble algae, that's the worst algae ever!

01/25/2010, 11:27 PM	#5
Larah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 1,932	Nope that's a chiton! He's beneficial and should be put back into your tank and left alone :-) and that is NOT bubble algea it'sa calcium loving algea and is just fine in your tank!

01/25/2010, 11:41 PM	#6
Larah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 1,932	http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...l_part_of.html

01/25/2010, 11:44 PM	#7
myfrostymember Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 503	how can ya tell the difference in a chiton a sea slug and a flatworm and a cucumber? and i do have bubble algae im working on that the leafy algae is crazy everywhere and cant be stopped so i can tell

01/25/2010, 11:45 PM	#8
Larah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 1,932	http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...l_part_of.html Cryptoplax sp

01/25/2010, 11:48 PM	#10
Larah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 1,932	google 'em :-) But this is definitely a Chiton. flat worm is smaller and well, flatter. cucumber is plumper and rounder. Yeah that macroalgea can be a nuisance. jsut pull it out if you hate it. and sorry about the bubblea algea I have it too :-( emerald crabs can help...

01/26/2010, 12:03 AM	#11
myfrostymember Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 503	ok cool i fond him i think thanks i didnt even think chiton never thought one would be that big in my tank and never see it after 3 years http://www.bluering.org.au/Chitons-1725.htm think hes this species http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_...97238/sizes/o/ someones photo but almost identical thanks guys any ideas about the algae

01/26/2010, 11:09 AM	#14
Larah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 1,932	I was hoping Green Bean would jump in here, that's how I found out I had one! Green Bean is full of fantastic knowledge! I had a chiton for about 3 years, came in on a peice of live rock, he has since passed away, R.I.P little guy ......