HOLY &$*# Help, ID needed

TurboGuru

TurboGuru

TBRC Member
HELP!!!
I came home from work this morning and did my usual flashlight tank inspection, I got a HUGE surprise!

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Can anyone identify this? I believe it to be a nudibranch. It is approximately 3-4 inches long, 1-1.5 inches wide, and only 1/16-1/8 inch thick. Colors are rendered pretty close in the pics, grey and brown with whitish spots. When it saw the light it was trying to get away and I quickly grabbed my camera and got these shots. It is not a Stomatella snail, I have had those in several tanks and know exactly what they look like. This was MUCH larger. There was no way for me to pull it out. It was on the underside of a rear facing part of a much larger rock structure. I fear that this thing could nuke my tank if harassed or killed (I heard they were toxic.) Should I be worried?
Please help to identify this monster!

Joe
 
I'd agree with some sort of sea slug, but am clueless as to which one. In my tank I'd most likely let it be if it were me though.
 
It doesn't appear to be a nudibranch, as there are no visible gills.

Some sort of a flatworm, and best to get it out. Many are predatory, and those that aren't can be just plain unsightly. :)
 
i found one in a friends tank, stayed under the rocks in his sump, never seemed to bother anything. has a jelly like structure almost like a giant ameba
 
So the million dollar question - how do you get rid of it if it doesn't show itself again? How about stuffing some snails in a soda bottle? Maybe you sacrifice/pierce/smash one to get the scent out and get its interest?
 
Flatworms are cool. Better than the goniopora munching eunicid worm I had or the acan nibbling fireworm I found. Been a wormy month. ???
 
Cool looking critter, but yeah. Would stink if it ate things it shouldn't eat. Another question might be if the thing can somehow spawn and fill the tank with more of itself. Hopefully just a one-off hitchhiker that grew big.
 
TampaSnooker said:
So the million dollar question - how do you get rid of it if it doesn't show itself again? How about stuffing some snails in a soda bottle? Maybe you sacrifice/pierce/smash one to get the scent out and get its interest?
Click to expand...

cabezon2469 said:
too bad about the snail eating because some of those are attractive
Click to expand...

It now makes sense why my Astreas don't last long. I guess I've been feeding him well. On a few weird occasions I've noticed what apeared to be an Astrea tipped over on a rock and it's body elongated out of its shell. I figured it was just reaching out really far to right itself, but it would always die, even if I re-righted it. Now I think it might be a snail that it attacked and the body I saw stretched out was actually this flatworm stretched in to eat the contents of the shell. I'm not sure how I can get this thing out without devastating the tank, any more ideas? Thanks everyone.

Joe
 
it is infact a giant polyclad flatworm. it will eat snails, clams, shrimp, hermits and pretty much anything it can get ahold of. i have not seen them eat fish though.. if you try to remove it make sure you get it ALL! other wise you will have more in the tank. i have battled them for alittle over a year and have personally seen it eat snails, hermits and a pepermint shrimp. i also have pictures that i posted on this forum awhile back of it eating my pepermint shrimp. there is no easy way to get them out of your tank at all... they can fit into the smallest hole and they also dont have to eat all the time. if you have one that you have seen, there is a huge chance you will have more. if you do some searching you can find my pictures were i caught it eating the shrimp. it was pretty crazy to see the shrimp fly up to the top of the tank to grab some food and next thing i know as soon as it hits the sand the worm pops out from under the rock and engulfs the shrimp.... was something i was lucky to actualy cath and take pictures of.

i wish you the best of luck getting rid of them and flatworm exit does not work on this things. i have tried more then once and way over the recomended dosage amount.
 
Try the simplest so far - bait a trap with a favorite food. Try putting a smashed snail inside a water or soda bottle - just a small one and leave it in the area you saw it. Check the trap frequently that night.

Then, hope...
 
these things move like smoke, can pour themselves down the tiniest of holes, and can climb anything.

I guarantee any trap that doesnt have a completely sealable door once it enters is going to catch one of these worms ;)

I have a true appreciation for these worms. One of the most crazy beautiful contortionists you will ever see if you get the chance to play with it
 
i agree with flyyyguy, this thing is almost impossible to catch unless you see it and can grab it before it disapeers into a small void some where in your tank or into your live rock. also the chances you have more then one are very good.
 
If I see him out in the open I will try to get him out in one peice. If not he wil just be an unwelcome resident, but I'm not going to sweat it.

Joe
 
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