Strange creature (please help)

jimspurs · 04/04/2014, 08:51 AM

Good afternoon guys n gals, i've just taken a look in my sump filter and found something strange.

Sorry i was not able to take a photo but will describe it as best i can.

Firstly it was flat and slimy and about 25-30 mm in diameter.

It was clinging to the filter balls and glass and it moved like a shelless snail
it had a white underside and the top surface was a mottled brown, it's top surface almosted reminded me of what an octopuss looks like and moved similaly.

I did try to fish it out but it was just like slime so i left it where it was.

There is no light in the sump if that helps so it survives without light.

It also moved quite quickly too, any info would be much help thank you.

Cheers Jim

Sk8r · 04/04/2014, 09:28 AM

Well, in your sump, it's fine. It could be a stomatella (shell-less snail, which I wish I had! lost mine...) ---buy by your description it could be a nudibranch (a risk to zoas) or a sea hare (eats algae) or a flatworm (the little species are bad because they multiply like crazy, but the larger species, not sure: they seem kind of cool.)

Generally if whatever it is can't get through the pump, it's cool living in the sump: this involves worms and crabs and all sorts of things. Nothing larger than an amphipod can pass through the pump. So in general you're ok with what's down there. Don't kill it. Get a photo. Then we can give you better advice.

TigeBell · 04/04/2014, 09:39 AM

My vote is on the flatworm that Sk8r stated above.

jimspurs · 04/04/2014, 09:47 AM

Thank you Sksr, it's deffinently not the stomatella as i have dozens of them in my tank already.
Did just look at images of nudibranch and it could have been one of them, some looked beautiful with some lovely colors but mine was just a mottled brown on top, also did not see any antennas or feelers but didnt see all of it though.
Cheers Jim

jimspurs · 04/04/2014, 09:52 AM

Did just look at flatworm images too and it looked like this one
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6079...7&rs=1&pid=1.7

but also like this nubi you said about similar to this
http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6080...7&rs=1&pid=1.7

Sugar Magnolia · 04/04/2014, 10:05 AM

Sounds like a polyclad flatworm to me. They eat clams and snails.

davocean · 04/04/2014, 10:23 AM

I was thinking polyclad flatworm as well.
Scroll to bottom of this link for visual.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html

jimspurs · 04/04/2014, 10:51 AM

Yes the flat worms could be the little blighter lol, thank you all for your help
Cheers Jim

Crooked Reef · 04/04/2014, 05:56 PM

If it spawns in the sump could the offspring make it to the main tank?

04/04/2014, 08:51 AM	#1
jimspurs Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Lowestoft, U.K. Posts: 47	Strange creature (please help) Good afternoon guys n gals, i've just taken a look in my sump filter and found something strange. Sorry i was not able to take a photo but will describe it as best i can. Firstly it was flat and slimy and about 25-30 mm in diameter. It was clinging to the filter balls and glass and it moved like a shelless snail it had a white underside and the top surface was a mottled brown, it's top surface almosted reminded me of what an octopuss looks like and moved similaly. I did try to fish it out but it was just like slime so i left it where it was. There is no light in the sump if that helps so it survives without light. It also moved quite quickly too, any info would be much help thank you. Cheers Jim

04/04/2014, 09:28 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Well, in your sump, it's fine. It could be a stomatella (shell-less snail, which I wish I had! lost mine...) ---buy by your description it could be a nudibranch (a risk to zoas) or a sea hare (eats algae) or a flatworm (the little species are bad because they multiply like crazy, but the larger species, not sure: they seem kind of cool.) Generally if whatever it is can't get through the pump, it's cool living in the sump: this involves worms and crabs and all sorts of things. Nothing larger than an amphipod can pass through the pump. So in general you're ok with what's down there. Don't kill it. Get a photo. Then we can give you better advice. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/04/2014, 09:39 AM	#3
TigeBell Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 974	My vote is on the flatworm that Sk8r stated above. __________________ David B. Red Sea Reefer 350 \| Hydra TwentySix HD http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/tigebell/1

04/04/2014, 10:05 AM	#6
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Sounds like a polyclad flatworm to me. They eat clams and snails. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

04/04/2014, 10:23 AM	#7
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	I was thinking polyclad flatworm as well. Scroll to bottom of this link for visual. http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms.html __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

04/04/2014, 09:47 AM	#4
jimspurs Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Lowestoft, U.K. Posts: 47	Thank you Sksr, it's deffinently not the stomatella as i have dozens of them in my tank already. Did just look at images of nudibranch and it could have been one of them, some looked beautiful with some lovely colors but mine was just a mottled brown on top, also did not see any antennas or feelers but didnt see all of it though. Cheers Jim

04/04/2014, 09:52 AM	#5
jimspurs Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Lowestoft, U.K. Posts: 47	Did just look at flatworm images too and it looked like this one http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6079...7&rs=1&pid=1.7 but also like this nubi you said about similar to this http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.6080...7&rs=1&pid=1.7

04/04/2014, 10:51 AM	#8
jimspurs Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Lowestoft, U.K. Posts: 47	Yes the flat worms could be the little blighter lol, thank you all for your help Cheers Jim

04/04/2014, 05:56 PM	#9
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	If it spawns in the sump could the offspring make it to the main tank? __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.