help ID golden/brownish spotted nudibranch

Krazy

Krazy

In Memoriam
A couple weeks ago I thought I see a slug in my halmedia plant. Tonight I seen it again crawling into a hole in the rock, its thin, almost transparent, a brownish/golden color with spots, almost light tan/brownish with golden spots perhaps, appeated to be the size of a half dollar, touch smaller, more circular in shape then a typical sea slug, its defiently a nudi but it went into the hole in the rock before I could grab my camera, looking around I seen a second one in the same area, to much in the rocks for a picture.. Was hoping someone might know off hand without a pic or could link a pic to confirm...

I noticed nothing missing or being ate in my tank, I'm stumped and a bit worried

any help is appericated, and of course if I see it again and can a picture, you bet I will ... :)
 
it kinda looks like this one but its got a circular shape rather then the long look to it, and the spots are circles...

malota1Yb.jpg
 
Could you see a gill on the back for sure? Some of the flatworms are pretty good nudibranch mimics. If it's a nudibranch, check the Discodoris species on the Sea Slug Forum, your description sounds like a couple different species in that genus.

Cheers,



Don Barclay
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9414765#post9414765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
Here are some flatworm pics for comparison:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=907863&highlight=flatworm+snail
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=698903&highlight=flatworm+snail
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=633653&highlight=flatworm+snail
Click to expand...

Leslie hit the nail on the head !!

Looks like pics 1 and 3, the polycad flatworm....

I seen two of these, any idea how they reproduce. outta be a blast getting these out :rolleyes: is there anything I could do to lure them out ?? I noticed mine did have the antenna though like a nudi, same patter though... where do these come from?

Thanks SO MUCH for the ultra fast ID !!

You all rock !!!

:)
 
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Generally if the animal is very thin, translucent, and moves fast it's a polyclad flatworm. Polyclads are hermaphrodites so each one has both male & females reproductive systems. Identification is based in part on their reproductive organs, different genera having from one to over 20 penises. Mating in the family Pseudocerotidae is fun to watch. It's called penis fencing. Individuals meet then rear up & jab away at each other to inject sperm. Some flatties have anterior folds which are called pseudotentacles while others have true tentacles in the vicinity of the eyes.

Being so thin they can move through the tiniest of crevices and usually remain unseen in tanks. The ones in the images fall into a group of primarily mollusc eaters. You might be able to lure them out with a snail/ snail meat in a jar. In the field I collect them using a brush or sucking them up with a pipette (sort of a miniature turkey baster).
 
I love that one! But the narration is a little outdated. It was originally thought that the two individuals were trying to impregnate the other without being hit themselves because producing eggs was a metabolic burden. Now it's realized that both are impregnated so it's not a duel with a clear winner & loser but a mutual effort.
 
I don't think anyone has reported it but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. It does seem unlikely. These mollusc-eating flatworms feed by swallowing the prey whole or in the case of clams the flatworms crawl between the two shells & digest the inhabitant. I think that unless the flatworms use some sort of poison a crab would be too active & too likely to tear up the fragile flatworm to be eaten.
 
these things can eat clams? (YIKES, I have 2 crocea's and a maxima)

A friend of mine today said he seen the polyclad flatworm in his tank eating a hermit crab...

now I'm worried, I havent seen this thing since my 1st post about it... :(
 
I meant smaller bivalves like scallops & oysters (some are well known oyster pests in commercial beds), not Tridacna. sorry to scare you....

I'd love to get a pic of a flattie eating a hermit. That would be a first.
 
I almost got one of the two I've seen the other night, I dunno how I missed it, I had syphon action going, I got the snail it was on top of but somehow it got away, (lucky sob) I then seen the 2nd one on the back glass and thought "easy catch" by the time I got my canopy off it was GONE :(

Been looking the past few nights and havent seen them...

Lucky little things I tell ya !!
 
They sure are fast Leslie !!!

I havent seen them since, I havent given up though, I will get them one of these days !!!

:)
 
Just an update:

Havent seen them since the last encounter, I do look at night if I'm up...

sooner or later ...
 
hey, I saw one of these in my tank last night. It is huge!!!!! So does everyone agree they are bad and eat snails? It is very cool to watch. I would like to leave it in but I think it is definitly killing snails. I bought a bunch of them awhile ago and now I don't see any of them. Makes me think.
 
They defiently eat snails, I caught one munching a snail today, it got away, I took the half ate snail and put it in the sand bed...

Sure enough 2 hrs after lights off, I see 1 of my 2 blobs out going for the half ate meal..

I caught one this time, one to go now (unless there's more)

:p

FINALLY :

hpim0860nt8.jpg
 
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