Holes in my rock keep MOVING!

[OodleyBoodely]

LOL! OK, I know they are not holes...now! I set up a new 6g nano with one nice piece of lr that has lots of holes in it. Well, over the past couple of weeks I've been watiching it, and pulling the excessive numbers of large bristlie worms out, and, watching some nice sponges grow. Well there were two or three holes that were extra black and I never could get a good look at them...they were so black. I noticed yesterday that there were three on the front of the rock and that they appeared to have fleshy edge and a pale slit in the middle. I figured I must have some kind of rock boring clam and was seeing the siphon sticking out of the rock...right? This morning it finally dawned on me that the holes had moved. Only one black spot was on the front now and it was about 3" from where it was yesterday! :hmm5::hmm5::hmm5:

As soon as I turned on the lights, the black spot started moving toward the shade and I finally got a good look at it. I think this is some kind of sea hare, and if I'm not totally crazy, there may be two more smaller ones somewhere on this rock. What do you all think...anyone know for sure what this is?

 

[cloak]

Shield limpet?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rs/index.php

 

[pagojoe]

Yep, it's a Scutus species. Most people consider them harmless.

Cheers,



Don

 

[Gill_bucket]

Awesome hitch hiker!!! I paid 10 dollars for mine at my LFS

 

[Gill_bucket]

 

[OodleyBoodely]

Cloak, I'm pretty sure mine are seahares not limpets, they don't have shells. Gill mine look just like yours but less white. I counted three in my tank so far! the one I photographed is about 3/4" long. The other two are 1/4" and 3/8. I'll have to trade a couple in soon, as there won't be enough algae to support them unless I can keep them going until my main tank is up and going through the algea cycles.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Shield limpet?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rs/index.php

Yep, it's a Scutus species. Most people consider them harmless.

Cheers,



Don

Cloak, I'm pretty sure mine are seahares not limpets, they don't have shells.

They are not sea hares. They are scutus, aka sheild limpets. The shell is covered by their mantle, which is why you don't see a shell. http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/scutus

 

[OodleyBoodely]

Oh ho! I learned something new! Adrienne, thankyou! My apologies Cloak and Don; looks like you were both right all along! I was skimming through here and didn't take the time to google scutus. The shape of these limpet snails is just like a pygmey spotted seahare I bought, and lost, last year, so, I assumed it was a similar species. Teach me to make assumptions! Thanks everyone. It is good to know what they are. From the link Adrienne posted, these are considered algae eaters with some known to eat sponges. Mine seem to be avoiding all the sponges on this rock so I'm going to guess that they are eating algae. Are these critters reef safe? I'd like to put them in my reef when it is ready.

 

[Elysia]

They are reef safe. They are great tank animals, and if you are lucky, you'll have a male and female, and thus additional Scutus in no time. I am hoping that these guys become a bit more common, as people are importing more and more coral out of Australia. They are very cool animals.

 

[OodleyBoodely]

Oh that would be great if they reproduce in the tank! Thanks!

 

[P'cola Reefer]

nice find!!! those are pretty cool.

 

[AcroJames]

those are cool little guys

 

[OodleyBoodely]

I think they are pretty neat critters! I have 4 on this one little rock, lol!